716884 - Accept invite into Google Calendar CalDAV and reminder different from organizer, default used

Status: UNCONFIRMED

(Calendar :: Alarms, defect)

Description

[psmith]

When I receive a meeting invite from anyone using Google Web Calendar, Lightning/Google/CalDAV, or Outlook and accept it into Lightning/Google/CalDAV, the Lightning default reminder is set instead of the reminder set by the organizer.

For example, when I receive a meeting invite where the organizer has set a 1 hour before pop-up reminder, my reminder is set to 15 minutes before the event when I accept the invite into Lightning/Google/CalDAV.  In Lightning I have "Default reminder settings for events:" ON, and "Default time a reminder is set before an event:" to 15 minuts.

I have duplicated this issue on multiple PCs, and it is reproduceable EVERY time.  This is a huge issue.

I have Thunderbird 9.01, and Lighning 1.1.1 with Google calendar setup with CalDAV per the Google instructions below.

Google Sunbird CalDAV Instructions
http://support.google.com/calendar/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=99358#sunbird

Comment 1

[Stefan Sitter [:ssitter]]

This is the expected behavior. At some time in the past Lightning used to take over the reminder form the organizer. This was intentionally changed to take over the users preferred reminder instead.

Comment 2

[psmith]

Is there a parameter I can change in config editor to accept the reminder from the organizer?  I would much rather it work that way.  I would recommend allowing the user to select this preference in future releases.

Comment 3

[psmith]

Also, I just tested accepting the meeting invite in Google Web Calendar, the organizer's reminder is preserved and synched to Lightning.

I'd be willing to bet this is the same behavior in Apple iCAL.

Why does Lightning work differently?  I think its pretty standard for the organizer's reminder be used and the recipient can adjust it if necessary.

Comment 4

[Philipp Kewisch [:Fallen] [:📆][:🧩]]

If we do this, it can get particularly annoying in enterprise use cases over different timezones. I once in a while get a meeting reminder at 3am on my phone because someone forgot to turn off reminders and the apple always accepts reminders from the organizer.

Comment 5

[psmith]

Timezones would not affect me, but I understand it would be an issue for others.  I would suggest a check box in Lightning options to preserve organizer's reminder, unchecked by default if you prefer.  But IMHO to compete with Outlook, Lightning needs to be able to convert the organizer's timezone to the recipient's timezone.  While I would much rather use TB/Lightning, I am forced to use Outlook 2007 extensively at work, and converting timezones is one function that Outlook does well.  Please don't chastise me for mentioning the "O" word. :-)  And I appreciate you considering this.

Comment 6

[Philipp Kewisch [:Fallen] [:📆][:🧩]]

Oh this is not about converting timezones, we are fine with that. The meeting is really at 3am in my timezone, its just a meeting where everyone is generally invited.

Comment 7

[psmith]

Sorry, I misunderstood.  I have had that happen too, but I don't blame that on my PC calendar software or Google.  IMHO I would say that in those cases it is up to the recipient to check the reminder and modify it if it will go off at an inconvenient time such as in the middle of the night.  Could the invite email that arrives in the TB inbox show what reminder the organizer set?  That would make it very easy for the recipient to determine whether they need to adjust it without having to go to Lightning and open the event they just accepted just to see what the reminder setting is.