Sascha Tayefeh's Homepage

Prerequisite

This is a summary of the steps you need to take in order to make use of Google’s services from your local client. Here is a list of software you need to download and install:

• Mozilla Thunderbird: This is a free e-mail client. Calendar and task functionality will be added by some add-ons (see next bullets)
• Lightning: This is an add-on for Thunderbird. Download it, start Thunderbird and from the menu bar select “Extras” -> “Add-Ons” and press the “Install” button. Choose the download, wait until installation has finished and restart Thunderbird
• Provider for Google Calendar: Another add-on for Thunderbird. This one enables bidirectional communication with Google calendar. Just install it
• Google Contacts 0.5.51: Another add-on for Thunderbird. This one is used to synchronize the address books of Thunderbird and Google
• Gmail IMAP Account Setup: A wizard for setting up a google IMAP in Thunderbird. Google’s IMAP account uses lables (tags) which is not so straight-foreward to cope with. This wizard not only sets up your account easily, but it also performs some optimizations. Use it rather than setting up your account manually

Set-up Google Mail

• In Thunderbird, choose “Extras” -> “Accounts” from the menu bar and press “New Account”
• Choose “Google Mail IMAP”
• Just enter your login name. The wizard will do the rest for you.

Add a Google Calendar

First, you need to get the URL of your calendar

• Go to the Google Calendar site using your internet browser
• Choose “Preferences” (top right)
• Choose “Calendar” from the tab that appears
• Click on the calendar name
• Scroll down
• Click on the “XML” button, preferably the one of your private adress
• Right click on the link and choose “Copy Link”

Now add the link within you clipboard to Thunderbird’s calendar:

• In Thunderbird, choose “Calendar” from the tab at the left bottom
• From the menu bar, choose “Calendar” -> “New Calendar”
• Choose “From Network” and continue
• Choose “Google Calendar” and paste the URL you just copied into the text field
• Finally, choose a name, a colour and you’re done
• Setup the “Contacts” add-on. It is pretty easy, you’ll find your way

Celebrate …