ICS importing automatically

[Kris]

I'm developing an application which will send out email to users for
scheduling purposes (across the Internet, not in an Exchange
environment) and I've been experimenting with .ICS files. This is for
sending out a weekly work schedule.

I can create an ICS file, but when I double-click on it from email, it
just wants to open a window where they have to Save and Close it. For
multiple days, I guess it would open multiple windows which is a
headache. What I'm really looking to do is create a link that says
more or less "Click here to import your work schedule into Outlook"
and it just does it. This can either be completely embedded in email
or I can bring up an ASP page from a web server.

Is there a way to make an ICS file automatically import? I'm kind of
thinking of the comparison from Microsoft Money and how you can
download statements from some banks. Money is smart enough that when
you double-click on the statement file, it just imports it
automatically (or via MIME types, even just go directly from the web
site into Money). That's the kind of thing I'd like to create with
Outlook calendar.

Any suggestions?

Kris

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP]]

Money includes the automatic import code. Outlook doesn't. Unless you can install something on every client, you'll need to depend on the user saving the item.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Outlook and Exchange solutions at http://www.slipstick.com
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming: Jumpstart
for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.slipstick.com/books/jumpstart.htm