# Reading events/schedules from external programs - help
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399
**Category:** General
**Created:** [15 October 2024 08:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399 "2024-10-15T08:24:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [15 October 2024 08:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/1 "2024-10-15T08:24:40Z")
This may be trickier than I think. _But what the....._😉
I do **NOT** use google's calendar.
Which kinda puts me in a spot for other reasons.
Though I digress.
On **THIS** machine I use `calendar` (though that isn't what it is called.. (Grumble - ubuntu) the GUI one, not the CLI one.)
But: THIS machine isn't on 24/7.
I'm not sure it is worth the effort of making a _schedule_ maker in NR or what.....
I am thinking of..... improving / negating my forgetfulness by having a list of things that are happening - non regular - so on their _weird dates_ I am reminded.
But I'm stuck with:
a: the GUI. Do I use an existing `calendar` program (I have one and use it sort of). I don't think the CLI one would work for what I need.
b: WHERE is that program running? On a 24/7 machine or THIS machine?
c: Extracting the _events_ and getting/giving them to NR
Anyone ever done anything like this before?
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### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [15 October 2024 11:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/2 "2024-10-15T11:52:08Z")
There is a reason people use things like google calendar - it is someone else's problem to run and maintain and calendars are COMPLEX.
However, if you are prepared to run your own calendar server, there are plenty of tools that will do that fairly easily and that you can then interact with.
But a calendar isn't much use unless it is always on. So you will want to run the calendar server on a device that is pretty much always on.
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### Author:  [@mikefila](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/mikefila)
#### Post date: [15 October 2024 17:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/3 "2024-10-15T17:21:50Z")
If you are going to run your own calendar server, you may want to consider running [home assistant](https://www.home-assistant.io/) instead. NR is fully integrated in it. It has versatile local calendar implementation as well as the ability to pull in 3 party calendar information like holidays/events. There is also a companion phone app that makes sending text reminders to your phone simple.
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [15 October 2024 19:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/4 "2024-10-15T19:39:17Z")
Yes, thanks. It is a can of worms.
The calendar I use on THIS machine is used because it is my main machine and it is what I do most of my work on.
Ubuntu comes with a calendar program and I've used it in the past.
And I sort of agree that that one is not the best option as the MAIN one.
I have 3 machines that are 24/7 which may suffice as the main storage for events.
To which I need a program running on them with a GUI to enter upcoming (_one off_) events.
Yeah, I could use `cron-plus` but there is no GUI to it - that I can work out.
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [15 October 2024 19:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/5 "2024-10-15T19:40:46Z")
Not wanting to sound paranoid, but google, home assistant.
They're 3'rd party and off site.
Maybe this is too much of an idea and I should accept - at this point - it isn't worth the effort.
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### Author:  [@kitori](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/kitori)
#### Post date: [15 October 2024 20:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/6 "2024-10-15T20:06:07Z")
Running a calender is not that hard, if it is not super critical. You can use [radicale](https://radicale.org/v3.html). It will propably run on a raspberry zero.
You can then use a client of your choice for entering data, a gui calender or something like [khal](https://github.com/pimutils/khal),[remind](https://pypi.org/project/remind/) ...
On the node-red-side, you can also use khal, or the awesome [node-red-contrib-ical-events](https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-contrib-ical-events) node
With the combination nextcloud -\> vdirsyncer -\> khal -\> node-red i'm running a dark radiator heating for a sports hall for a friend, because of the shitty timer from the heater. He can enter the booking plan in a calender and everthing else is going automatically
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [15 October 2024 20:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/7 "2024-10-15T20:50:20Z")
Thanks....
I'll look into it.
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### Author:  [@mikefila](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/mikefila)
#### Post date: [16 October 2024 05:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/8 "2024-10-16T05:04:05Z")
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> home assistant.
>
> They're 3'rd party and off site.
Not home assistant, it's 100% local. It's specifically made for privacy and has a built in [local calendar.](https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/local_calendar/)
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 October 2024 05:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/9 "2024-10-17T05:08:00Z")
Oh, ok. Thanks.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [15 January 2025 05:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/reading-events-schedules-from-external-programs-help/92399/10 "2025-01-15T05:08:18Z")
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