I'm currently working on a project for a forum community that wants to include BBCode formatting like bold and italics in their calendar event descriptions (.ics files). However, their CMS only outputs BBCode and I'm using Add to Calendar PRO for handling timezones. The problem is that this tool seems to only accept plain text for descriptions. I know that most calendar clients, especially Outlook, don't really support even basic HTML, so I'm feeling a bit stuck. Has anyone found a reasonable way to incorporate formatting from a CMS into an .ics file without messing it up in Outlook?
4 Answers
Don't bother trying to format the .ics file directly. We tried this, and it was a nightmare with Outlook! Instead, we just used the description field to include a clear link that says 'View full event details here.' This leads to an event page our tool generates. The client gets their fancy formatting on that page, and users just click to access it. It's a simple, efficient solution, and you avoid the turmoil of calendar client compatibility!
You might have some luck using the X-ALT-DESC field with some basic HTML. As far as I know, it specifically works in Outlook, so give that a shot!
Just say no, honestly. Clients often want all kinds of things, but sometimes you just have to draw the line. Trust me, it's for the best!
Dealing with BBCode can be tricky since it's not really recognized in .ics files. Most clients, including Outlook, don't do much beyond plain text. However, you can convert BBCode into HTML, but you’ll need to keep in mind that Outlook has its limitations and might not render everything as you’d like. If the CMS allows, it could help to set up a custom template that converts BBCode to HTML before creating the .ics file. Just remind your client that results may vary across different platforms!
That’s such a smart solution! I was so focused on the client's request that I didn’t even think about just providing a link to more details. Thank you!