[horde] Creating an Info Dashboard: Horde API or command line tools?

[James Mohr]

Quoting Vilius Sumskas/LNK <vilius at lnk.lt>:

>> > Hi,
>> >
>> >> I am trying to set up a information dashboard for my family that I
>> >> will display on a tablet hanging on the kitchen wall. The plan is to
>> >> set up several email addresses for various function like
>> >> shoppinglist at mydomain or todo at mydomain. The server would process the
>> >> email and create a new task in Nag, for example. Processing the email
>> >> is the easy part. For me, the hard part is creating the nag entries.
> I
>> >> would also like to be able to automatically create kronolith entries
>> >> without have to send email and then confirm it.
>> >>
>> >> I couldn't find anything in the Wiki or email archives addressing
>> >> this. Is it possible or did I miss something?
>> >
>> > why do you want to do this so complicated? Just use a shared calendar
> and
>> > nag shared task list, then create events/todo items the normal way.
> You
>> > could even use Horde as ActiveSync server to manage all the items.
>> >
>> > --
>> >    Vilius
>> > --
>> Thank you for your quick response.
>>
>> The primary reason is my wife is a techno-phobe. She can use
>> MS-Outlook, MS-Word and the accounting software at work, but that is
>> about it. The entire server is protected by HTTP authentication, plus
>> the login to Horde, so she has to deal with two logins. Then she has
>> to work through the menus and forms to add nag or calendar entries.
>> She simply does not want to be bothered with that, so won't do it. If
>> there was an API or command-line option, that would be less
>> complicated for the family as a whole than spending the time trying to
>> teaching her how to use a new application.
>>
>> Second, I would like to automatically create tasks from monitoring
>> scripts on the server.
>>
>> Third, I have at least 50 calender events that I would like to add,
>> and inputing them with a web form is a pain.
>>
>> Fourth, I often think of task while I am not on a computer. It is far
>> easier to open the email app on my phone, dictate a subject line and
>> send it off, as opposed to logging into the HTTP authentication,
>> logging into Horde, navigating the menu, and then inputting all of the
>> required data into the form. Obviously, in this context, using a
>> shared list and calendars is actually more complicated.
>>
>> Fifth, I have a task management tool that can send email when tasks
>> are assigned. In certain circumstances, when I create a task in this
>> tool, I want the tasks to be displayed in the dashboard. Since my wife
>> is a technophone, she will not use this tool and it is really not
>> designed for multiple users. It would be more complicated to add the
>> item into the other tool AND then into nag.
>>
>> Sixth, often while working, I think of something that needs to get
>> done that evening or in the next few days. I would either need to keep
>> horde open all of the time (even on the job) or log into the HTTP
>> authentication, log into horde, navigate to nag and then add the task.
>> That is more complicated than simply sending an email with a task
>> description in the subject.
>>
>> Seventh, I would like to be able to create calendar entries or tasks,
>> based on email that I receive to my own account.
>
> At least 4 points from your list can be achieved using ActiveSync from any
> mobile device. With ActiveSync you don't need to open HTML forms, you can
> use native phone task/calendar applications.
>

Which 4?

I see nothing that ActiveSync provides which would allow my wife to  
simply send an email to update a todo- or shopping list. As I said,  
that is the primary reason. Configuring ActiveSync because it  
addresses other, far less important aspects but not the primary one is  
not very effective, and more or less useless. Without the ability to  
allow my wife to input via email, ActiveSync does *not* solve the  
problem.

Is there a command line interface/API to ActiveSync for Linux? If not,  
then I don't see how #2 or #7 are solved.  Even, if Horde could be  
configured to automatically create events or tasks based on incoming  
email, it would require that I first log into Horde before the action  
triggers, right?

#3 is not solved because the only place that most of these calendar  
entries exist will be in the dashboard. They do not exist yet, so I  
need to either input them all by hand or I have a list of dates and  
descriptions that I input using a script.

Second, it is actually more complicated when you have multiple methods  
of input, i.e. some through ActiveSync, some through an API. If not  
all of these can be done with ActiveSync I not only have to go through  
the process of configuring ActiveSync but I also have to figure out  
how solve the other problems.

Third, that's two different components that I need to learn to use,  
configure, manage and troubleshoot.

Fourth, my phone was provided by my company. It syncs with the company  
Exchange Server, period. I am not going to have the calendar entries  
or task either on my phone or in my Outlook at work. So, as far as I  
see, #4 is not solved either.

Fifth, I do not see how #5 is solved, because the task management tool  
does not support ActiveSync and I do not want every task sync'd, just  
specific ones when I create them.

Sixth, #6 is not solved.

I apologize if you think I am attacking you, but I am getting  
frustrated because I really didn't expect to have a write a doctoral  
disseration on why I would like a command line or API interface to  
Horde.

Can someone **please** simply answer the question I asked?


Regards,
James