How to use the command gcalcli (with examples)

gcalcli is a command-line tool that allows users to interact with Google Calendar. It provides a convenient way to manage events, view calendars, and perform various operations on Google Calendar through the command line interface.

Use case 1: List your events for all your calendars over the next 7 days

Code:

gcalcli agenda

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to get an overview of all your events scheduled in the next 7 days. It allows you to quickly check your upcoming events without opening the Google Calendar application or website.

Explanation: The agenda command without any additional arguments lists all the events from all your calendars over the next 7 days.

Example output:

2021-09-01:
    - 09:00AM - 10:00AM: Meeting with John Doe
    - 02:00PM - 03:00PM: Team brainstorming session
2021-09-02:
    - 11:00AM - 12:00PM: Presentation rehearsal
    - 02:00PM - 04:00PM: Client meeting
...

Use case 2: Show events starting from or between specific dates

Code:

gcalcli agenda mm/dd [mm/dd]

Motivation: Sometimes, you may want to view events within a specific date range. This use case allows you to filter the events and display only those starting from or between the specified dates.

Explanation: The agenda command followed by the start date and an optional end date will list all the events that start from or occur between the specified dates. The dates should be entered in the format mm/dd.

Example usage:

gcalcli agenda 09/01

Example output:

2021-09-01:
    - 09:00AM - 10:00AM: Meeting with John Doe
    - 02:00PM - 03:00PM: Team brainstorming session

Use case 3: List events from a specific calendar

Code:

gcalcli --calendar calendar_name agenda

Motivation: If you have multiple calendars and only want to view events from a specific calendar, this use case allows you to specify the calendar and display its events.

Explanation: The --calendar flag followed by the name of the calendar is used to filter the events by a specific calendar. Replace calendar_name with the actual name of the calendar.

Example usage:

gcalcli --calendar Work agenda

Example output:

2021-09-01:
    - 09:00AM - 10:00AM: Meeting with John Doe
    - 02:00PM - 03:00PM: Team brainstorming session
2021-09-02:
    - 11:00AM - 12:00PM: Presentation rehearsal

Use case 4: Display an ASCII calendar of events by week

Code:

gcalcli calw

Motivation: This use case provides a visual representation of your events for the current week in a simple ASCII calendar format. It allows you to quickly see the distribution of events throughout the week.

Explanation: The calw command displays an ASCII calendar with events highlighted for the current week.

Example output:

      September 2021
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
          1  2  3  4
 5  6  7  8  9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30

Use case 5: Display an ASCII calendar of events for a month

Code:

gcalcli calm

Motivation: Similar to the previous use case, this provides a visual representation of your events, but for the entire month. It helps you get an overview of how your events are distributed throughout the month.

Explanation: The calm command displays an ASCII calendar with events highlighted for the current month.

Example output:

      September 2021
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
          1  2  3  4
 5  6  7  8  9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30

Use case 6: Quick-add an event to your calendar

Code:

gcalcli --calendar calendar_name quick "mm/dd HH:MM event_name"

Motivation: This use case allows you to quickly add an event to a specific calendar without going through an interactive prompt. It is useful when you want to schedule a new event without leaving the command line interface.

Explanation: The --calendar flag followed by the name of the calendar specifies the target calendar. Replace calendar_name with the actual name of the calendar. The quick command followed by the date, time, and event name allows you to create an event at the specified time on the specified date.

Example usage:

gcalcli --calendar Personal quick "09/05 08:00AM Dentist Appointment"

Example output:

Event 'Dentist Appointment' added to calendar 'Personal'.

Use case 7: Add an event to calendar. Triggers interactive prompt

Code:

gcalcli --calendar "calendar_name" add

Motivation: When you need to add an event with additional details like location, description, and attendees, this use case provides an interactive prompt that allows you to enter all the required information in a convenient manner.

Explanation: The --calendar flag followed by the name of the calendar specifies the target calendar. Replace calendar_name with the actual name of the calendar. The add command triggers an interactive prompt where you can enter details about the event.

Example usage:

gcalcli --calendar Work add

Example output:

Title: Team Meeting
Location: Conference Room B
Description: Monthly team meeting to discuss project updates.
Start Time: 09/10 02:00PM
End Time: 09/10 03:00PM

Conclusion:

The gcalcli command is a powerful tool that allows users to interact with Google Calendar using the command line interface. With various use cases demonstrated in this article, users can efficiently manage their calendar events, view calendars, and perform different operations without leaving the command line. Whether it’s getting a quick overview of upcoming events, adding new events, or viewing events in a calendar format, gcalcli provides a convenient and flexible solution for Google Calendar management.