[cvs] [Wiki] changed: ExternalClientsHowTo

Mon Jan 21 23:45:29 UTC 2008

jan  Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:45:29 -0500

Modified page: http://wiki.horde.org/ExternalClientsHowTo
New Revision:  1.1
Change log:  Linking

@@ -1,29 +1,29 @@
 + Using external groupware (PIM) clients with Horde

-There are several ways to access Horde applications or backends with
external clients. These options can be condensed into two groups. Either
both Horde and the external applications access the same shared backends as
clients. Alternatively Horde can act as a backend server itself, that can be
used by external clients.
+There are several ways to access Horde applications or backends with
external clients. These options can be summerized into two groups. Either
both Horde and the external applications access the same shared backends as
clients. Alternatively Horde can act as a backend server itself, that can be
used by external clients.

 ++ Shared backends

 +++ Kolab server

-A Kolab server is probably the most complete groupware solution with a
shared backend server. Kolab is basically a stack of proven open source
server systems that build a complete groupware server including web based
management and wide range of supported clients. Horde is the officially
supported browser frontend for Kolab and supports all groupware features.
There exist several clients for various platforms with native Kolab support,
as well as connectors for existing groupware clients like Outlook or
Thunderbird.
+A [http://www.kolab.org Kolab] server is probably the most complete
groupware solution with a shared backend server. Kolab is basically a stack
of proven open source server systems that build a complete groupware server
including web based management and wide range of supported clients. Horde is
the officially supported ((KolabHowTo|browser frontend for Kolab)) and
supports all groupware features. There exist several clients for various
platforms with native Kolab support, as well as connectors for existing
groupware clients like [http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/ Outlook]
or [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/ Thunderbird].

 +++ Homebrew servers

-Kolab is probably the most comfortable way to install a groupware server
for Horde. But if you already have some servers running that support open
standards, chances are that you can access them with Horde applications.
Horde applications support a wide range of protocols like IMAP, LDAP, IMSP
and SQL. Due to the modular, driver-based architecture of the Horde
Framework, you can even write your own drivers for backends that are
currently not yet supported. Using Kronolith as frontend for a CalDAV server
would be such possible driver.
+Kolab is probably the most comfortable way to install a groupware server
for Horde. But if you already have some servers running that support open
standards, chances are that you can access them with Horde applications.
Horde applications support a wide range of protocols like IMAP, LDAP, IMSP
and SQL. Due to the modular, driver-based architecture of the Horde
Framework, you can even write your own drivers for backends that are
currently not yet supported. Using Kronolith as frontend for a !CalDAV
server would be such possible driver.

 ++ Horde as a backend

-+++ SyncML
++++ !SyncML

-SyncML is not really an access protocol, but a synchronization protocol.
SyncML is already built into many mobile devices like mobile phones, and
there exist many clients for mobile devices and desktop applications, most
notably by Funambol and Synthesis. SyncML not used to access the live
groupware data from the clients and manipulate them directly on the client,
but to keep several copies of the same data synchronized with a push on a
button.
+SyncML is not really an access protocol, but a synchronization protocol.
SyncML is already built into many mobile devices like mobile phones, and
there exist many clients for mobile devices and desktop applications, most
notably by [http://www.funambol.com/ Funambol] and [http://www.synthesis.ch/
Synthesis]. SyncML not used to access the live groupware data from the
clients and manipulate them directly on the client, but to keep several
copies of the same data synchronized with a push on a button.

-+++ WebDAV/GroupDAV/CalDAV/iCalendar
++++ !WebDAV/!GroupDAV/!CalDAV/iCalendar

-Horde has a basic WebDAV interface that can be accessed by external clients
like Thunderbird, Kontact, or Apple iCal. This interface is going to be the
basis for more advanced GroupDAV and/or CalDAV interfaces. These are
standards which allow more complex access to groupware data and scale better
than plain WebDAV. Even in older versions of Kronolith and Nag exist HTTP
interfaces with can be used by WebDAV compatible clients to connect to
calendars and task lists, though limited to read-only access.
+Horde has a basic [http://www.webdav.org/ WebDAV] interface that can be
accessed by external clients like [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/
Thunderbird], [http://www.kontact.org/ Kontact], or
[http://www.apple.com/ical/ Apple iCal]. This interface is going to be the
basis for more advanced [http://www.groupdav.org/ GroupDAV] and/or
[http://ietf.osafoundation.org/caldav/ CalDAV] interfaces. These are
standards which allow more complex access to groupware data and scale better
than plain !WebDAV. Even in older versions of Kronolith and Nag exist HTTP
interfaces with can be used by !WebDAV compatible clients to connect to
calendars and task lists, though limited to read-only access.

 +++ XML-RPC

-Several generic RPC interfaces exist in Horde, at the time of this writing
XML-RPC, SOAP, and JSON. These can be used to access the external API of
Horde and its applications and are rather targeted at developers. But there
exists a wrapper around the XML-RPC interface that is compatible to the RPC
interface of phpGroupWare. At least one client (Kontact) supports this
interface. It hasn't been tested much though.
+Several generic RPC interfaces exist in Horde, at the time of this writing
XML-RPC, SOAP, and JSON. These can be used to access the external API of
Horde and its applications and are rather targeted at developers. But there
exists a ((PhpgwHowTo|wrapper around the XML-RPC interface)) that is
compatible to the RPC interface of [http://www.phpgroupware.org/
phpGroupWare]/[http://www.egroupware.org/ eGroupWare]. At least one client
(Kontact) supports this interface. It hasn't been tested much though.

 Of course you can combine any of the scenarios mentioned here. You could
use Horde as a frontend for a Kolab server and as a SyncML server for your
PDAs and phones at the same time. Or you can use the Kolab server as a
groupware backend, but add more address books from your company's LDAP or
Active Directory servers, etc.
