path: root/doc/calcurse.1.txt

////
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////

calcurse(1)
===========

Name
----

calcurse - text-based organizer

Synopsis
--------

[verse]
*calcurse* [*-h*|*-v*] [*-N*] [*-an*] [*-t*[num]] [*-c*<file> | *-D*<dir>]
         [*-i*<file>] [*-x*[format]] [*-d* <date>|<num>]
         [*-s*[date]] [*-r*[range]] [*-S* <regex>] [*--status*]

Description
-----------

Calcurse is a text-based calendar and scheduling application. It helps keeping
track of events, appointments and everyday tasks.  A configurable notification
system reminds user of upcoming deadlines, and the curses based interface can
be customized to suit user needs.  All of the commands are documented within an
online help system.  

Options
-------

The following options are supported:

*-a*, *--appointment*::
  Print the appointments and events for the current day and exit. 'Note:' The calendar
  from which to read the  appointments can be specified using the *-c* flag.

*-c* <file>, *--calendar* <file>::
  Specify the calendar file to use.  The default  calendar is
  *~/.calcurse/apts* (see section 'FILES' below). This option is incompatible
  with -*D*.

*-d* <date|num>, *--day* <date|num>::
  Print the appointments for the given date  or  for  the given  number  of
  upcoming days, depending on the argument format. Two possible formats are
  supported:
+
--
  * a date (possible formats described below).
  * a number *n*.
--
+
In the first  case,  the  appointment  list  for  the specified  date will be
returned, while in the second case the appointment list for the *n*  upcoming
days will be returned.
+
As an example, typing *calcurse -d  3*  will  display your  appointments  for
today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.
+
The  date  format  used  is  the  one  specified in the ``General options''
menu.  Four formats are available:
+
--
  1. mm/dd/yyyy
  2. dd/mm/yyyy
  3. yyyy/mm/dd
  4. yyyy-mm-dd
--
+
'Note:' as for the *-a* flag, the calendar  from which to  read  the
appointments can be specified using the *-c* flag.

*-D* <dir>, *--directory* <dir>::
  Specify  the  data directory to use. This option is incompatible  with  -c.
  If  not  specified,   the default directory is *~/.calcurse/*.

*--format-apt* <format>::
  Specify a format to control the output of appointments in non-interactive
  mode. See the 'FORMAT STRINGS' section for detailed information on format
  strings.

*--format-recur-apt* <format>::
  Specify a format to control the output of recurrent appointments in
  non-interactive mode. See the 'FORMAT STRINGS' section for detailed
  information on format strings.

*--format-event* <format>::
  Specify a format to control the output of events in non-interactive mode. See
  the 'FORMAT STRINGS' section for detailed information on format strings.

*--format-recur-event* <format>::
  Specify a format to control the output of recurrent events in non-interactive
  mode. See the 'FORMAT STRINGS' section for detailed information on format
  strings.

*--format-todo* <format>::
  Specify a format to control the output of todo items in non-interactive mode.
  See the 'FORMAT STRINGS' section for detailed information on format strings.

*-g*, *--gc*::
  Run the garbage collector for note files and exit.

*-h*, *--help*::
  Print  a  short  help  text  describing  the  supported command-line options,
  and exit.

*-i* <file>, *--import* <file>::
  Import the icalendar data contained in 'file'.

*-n*, *--next*::
  Print the next appointment within upcoming 24 hours and exit.  The indicated
  time is the number of hours and minutes left before this appointment.
+
'Note:' the calendar from which to read the appointments can be specified using
the *-c* flag.

*-N*, *--note*::
  When used with the *-a* or *-t* flag, also print note content if one is
  associated with the displayed item.

*-r*[num], *--range*[=num]::
  Print events and appointments for the 'num' number of days and exit. If no
  'num' is given, a range of 1 day is considered.

*--read-only*::
  Don't save configuration nor appointments/todos.
+
'Warning:' Use this this with care! If you run an interactive calcurse instance
in read-only mode, all changes from this session will be lost without warning!

*-s*[date], *--startday*[=date]::
  Print  events  and appointments from 'date' and exit.  If no 'date' is given,
  the current day is considered.

*-S*<regex>, *--search*=<regex>::
  When used with the *-a*, *-d*, *-r*, *-s*, or *-t* flag, print only the items
  having a description that matches the given regular expression.

*--status*::
  Display  the  status of running instances of calcurse. If calcurse is
  running, this will tell  if  the  interactive mode  was  launched  or  if
  calcurse is running in background.  The process pid will also be indicated.

*-t*[num], *--todo*[=num]::
  Print the *todo* list and exit. If the optional number 'num' is given, then
  only todos having a priority equal to 'num' will be returned. The priority
  number must be between 1 (highest) and 9 (lowest). It is also possible to
  specify *0* for the priority, in which case only completed tasks will be
  shown.

*-v*, *--version*::
  Display *calcurse* version and exit.

*-x*[format], *--export*[=format]::
  Export user data to specified format. Events, appointments and todos are
  converted and echoed to stdout.  Two possible formats are available: 'ical'
  and 'pcal'.  If the optional argument 'format' is not given, ical format is
  selected by default.
+
'Note:' redirect standard output to export data to a file, by issuing a command
such as:
+
----
$ calcurse --export > my_data.dat
----

Format strings
--------------

Format strings are composed of printf()-style format specifiers -- ordinary
characters are copied to stdout without modification. Each specifier is
introduced by a *%* and is followed by a character which specifies the field to
print. The set of available fields depends on the item type.

Format specifiers for appointments
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*s*::
  Print the start time of the appointment as UNIX time stamp
*S*::
  Print the start time of the appointment using the *hh:mm* format
*d*::
  Print the duration of the appointment in seconds
*e*::
  Print the end time of the appointment as UNIX time stamp
*E*::
  Print the end time of the appointment using the *hh:mm* format
*m*::
  Print the description of the item
*n*::
  Print the name of the note file belonging to the item
*N*::
  Print the note belonging to the item

Format specifiers for events
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*m*::
  Print the description of the item
*n*::
  Print the name of the note file belonging to the item
*N*::
  Print the note belonging to the item

Format specifiers for todo items
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*p*::
  Print the priority of the item
*m*::
  Print the description of the item
*n*::
  Print the name of the note file belonging to the item
*N*::
  Print the note belonging to the item

Examples
~~~~~~~~

*`calcurse -r7 --format-apt='- %S -> %E\n\t%m\n%N'`*::
  Print appointments and events for the next seven days. Also, print the notes
  attached to each regular appointment (simulates *-N* for appointments).

*`calcurse -r7 --format-apt=' - %m (%S to %E)\n' --format-recur-apt=' - %m (%S to %E)\n'`*::
  Print appointments and events for the next seven days and use a custom format
  for (recurrent) appointments: * - Some appointment (18:30 to 21:30)*.

*`calcurse -t --format-todo '(%p) %m\n'`*::
  List all todo items and put parentheses around the priority specifiers.

Notes
-----

Calcurse interface contains three different panels (calendar, appointment list,
and todo list) on which you can perform different actions. All the possible
actions, together with their associated keystrokes, are listed on the status
bar. This status bar takes place at the bottom of the screen.

At any time, the built-in help system can be invoked by pressing the '?' key.
Once viewing the help screens, informations on a specific command can be
accessed by pressing the keystroke corresponding to that command.

Configuration
-------------

The calcurse options can be changed from the configuration menu (shown when 'C'
is hit). Five possible categories are to be chosen from : the color scheme, the
layout (the location of the three panels on the screen), notification options,
key bindings configuration menu, and more general options (such as automatic
save before quitting).  All of these options are detailed in the configuration
menu.

Files
-----

The following structure is created in your $HOME directory (or in the directory
you specified with the *-D* option), the first time calcurse is run:

----
$HOME/.calcurse/
          |___notes/
          |___conf 
          |___keys
          |___apts 
          |___todo
----

The 'notes' subdirectory contains descriptions of the notes which are attached
to appointments, events or todos. One text file is created per note, whose name
is built using mkstemp(3) and should be unique, but with no relation with the
corresponding item's description.

The 'conf' file contains the user configuration. The 'keys' file contains the
user-defined key bindings. The 'apts' file contains all of the user's
appointments and events, and the 'todo' file contains the todo list.

'Note:' if the logging of calcurse daemon activity was set in the notification
configuration menu, the extra file 'daemon.log' will appear in calcurse data
directory. This file contains logs about calcurse activity when running in
background.

Environment
-----------

This section describes the environment variables that affect how calcurse
operates. 

*VISUAL*::
  Specifies the external editor to use for writing notes.
*EDITOR*::
  If the 'VISUAL' environment variable is not set, then 'EDITOR' will be used
  as the default external editor. If none of those variables are set, then
  '/usr/bin/vi' is used instead.
*PAGER*::
  Specifies the default viewer to be used for reading notes. If this variable
  is not set, then '/usr/bin/less' is used.

Bugs
----

Incorrect highlighting of items appear when using calcurse black and white
theme together with a *$TERM* variable set to 'xterm-color'.  To fix this bug,
and as advised by Thomas E. Dickey (xterm maintainer), 'xterm-xfree86' should
be used instead of 'xterm-color' to set the *$TERM* variable:

    "The xterm-color value for $TERM is a bad choice for 
     XFree86 xterm because it is commonly used for a 
     terminfo entry which happens to not support bce. 
     Use the xterm-xfree86 entry which is distributed 
     with XFree86 xterm (or the similar one distributed 
     with ncurses)."

If you find other bugs, please send a report to bugs@calcurse.org or to one of
the authors, below.

See also
--------

vi(1), less(1), ncurses(3), mkstemp(3)

The ical specification (rfc2445) can be found at:
http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2445

The pcal project page: http://pcal.sourceforge.net/

Calcurse home page: http://calcurse.org/

Calcurse complete manual, translated in many languages and maintained in
html format, can be found in the doc/ directory of the source package, 
or at: http://calcurse.org/files/manual.html

Authors
-------

* *Frederic Culot* <frederic@culot.org>
* *Lukas Fleischer* <calcurse@cryptocrack.de>

Copyright
---------

Copyright (c) 2004-2012 calcurse Development Team.
This software is released under the BSD License.