Calendar Pro RSS
Calendar Pro RSS: keep event schedules and publication updates distinct
An event schedule and a publication feed answer different questions. A calendar explains when something happens; RSS explains what a publication has announced or updated. Generate both from a shared event record while preserving their distinct date meanings, identifiers, and expectations for change.
Model the event before producing outputs
Keep an event identifier, title, description, location or attendance information, start, end, and timezone in a maintained source record. Store the announcement's publication date separately. A seminar scheduled for next month can be announced today, and its RSS publication timestamp should describe that announcement rather than the future start time.
The iCalendar standard defines a format for exchanging calendar information independently of a particular calendar service. Use a maintained serializer if producing calendar output. Calendar values have their own representation rules, so translating an RSS date string into an event field through simple text replacement is a poor foundation for a reliable integration.
Make timezone and all-day choices explicit
Distinguish a timed event from an all-day event in the source model. Record a real timezone when the event depends on local civil time. Test dates around daylight-saving changes if they are relevant to the audience. A reader in another region should be able to understand the schedule without guessing which place the publisher meant.
- Keep event start and end values separate from announcement and content-modification timestamps.
- Preserve the event identifier when correcting its description or changing its scheduled time.
- Define how postponed, canceled, and rescheduled events appear on the website and in each output.
- Review recurring events individually when an exception changes one occurrence rather than the whole series.
Explain a change to subscribers
Consider a hypothetical workshop moved from one afternoon to another. Update the maintained event record and the corresponding calendar representation. If the change matters to RSS subscribers, publish a clear update explaining the new time and linking to the stable event page. Keep the original event identity while giving the announcement a publishing history that readers can follow.
Test the complete audience journey
Inspect the public event page, a calendar import or subscription in a representative client, and the RSS announcement together. Confirm the title, timezone, date range, and destination link. Repeat the review after a reschedule and a cancellation. Keep older announcements understandable by linking them to the current event record. A dependable calendar workflow lets readers distinguish the schedule itself from the editorial messages that explain its changes.
Primary documentation
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