Google Hangout Links from Calendar

Question

I have iCal and Google Calendar synced so that I can see my appointments. However, I am never able to see the Google Hangout link unless I go to google calendar.

Do any native OSX apps support the field for the Google Hangout link?

Answer 1

Thanks to nempnett's little script, I finally managed to automate it all into a tool now on GitHub. I've written about it here : http://yeraze.com/a-better-way-to-fix-osx-calendar-google-hangouts

You'll have to do a bit of terminal magic, but then it will sync your Google Hangout links into the Calendar URL fields automatically.

Answer 2

This has annoyed me for ages. I have two solutions below. One that will allow you to easily launch a hangout from the iCal event the other updates the iCal event with the hangout details.

1. Create an Automator of type application
2. Add 'GetSpecified Finder' Items step
3. Add a 'Run Shell Script' step (change the Shell Script block to accept input "As Arguments")

4. Copy the following into the text box:

   read url <<< $(cat "$1" | sed "s/$(printf '\r')\$//" | awk -F':' '/X-GOOGLE-HANGOUT/ {first = $2":"$3; getline rest; print (first)(substr(rest,2)); exit 1}';)
   open "$url"
   

5. Save the Application and add to your dock

Now you will be able to just drag an event onto the dock item and it will parse the .ics file and launch the Hangout in your default browser.

UPDATE: Extended the above to update the calendar entry to add hangout as URL in event:

1. Create an Automator of type application
2. Add 'GetSpecified Finder' Items step
3. Add a 'Run Shell Script' step (change the Shell Script block to accept input "As Arguments")

4. Copy the following into the text box:

   read url <<< $(cat "$1" | sed "s/$(printf '\r')\$//" | awk -F':' '/X-GOOGLE-HANGOUT/ {first = $2":"$3; getline rest; print (first)(substr(rest,2)); exit 1}';)
   read uid <<< $(cat "$1" | sed "s/$(printf '\r')\$//" | awk -F':' '/UID/ {print $2; exit 1}';)
   echo "$url"
   echo "$uid"
   

5. Add a step of type 'Run Apple Script'

6. Copy the following into the box replacing "myCalendar" with the name of your calendar:

   on run {input, parameters}
   set myURL to input's item 1
   set myUID to input's item 2
   set myCal to "myCalendar"
   
   tell application "Calendar"
   tell calendar myCal
       set theEvent to first event whose uid = myUID
       set (url of theEvent) to myURL
   end tell
   end tell
   return input
   end run 
   

7. Save the Application and add to your dock

Now when you drag an event onto your dock icon it will update the event by adding the hangout URL to the event.

Taking the above as a start it would be good if someone wanted to do a scheduled batch processing update of the entire calendar that runs every morning say...