Exchange calendar in Tunderbird

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It's possible to syncronize your Exchange calendar in Thunderbird on both Windows and Linux. Mac OS X is untested but it should work too.

The following steps is needed and is in general the same for all operating systems:

Prerequisite:

  • The Exchange e-mail account must be setup in Thunderbird prior to this setup ( IMAP & POP clients)
  • The lightning extension must be installed in thunderbird.

Lightning Extension:
Thunderbird doesn't have a calendar so an extension is needed:
Download the Lightning extension (Windows, Linux x86 or Mac OS X): http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/lightning/ (Solaris users on SunRay terminal find the plugin in /appl/thunderbird/10.0.2 folder).

To add the extension in Thunderbird, go to Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions
Click "Install..." and browse to the downloaded Lightning extension (an .xpi file)

The calendar can then be setup using either the Exchange Calendar and Tasks Add-on for Lightning plugin or the davmail.imm.dtu.dk server. The Exchange Calendar and Tasks Add-on for Lightning plugin is the recommended way.

Using the Exchange Calendar and Tasks Add-on for Lightning plugin

For users of Thunderbird 15 or later: You must use version 3.x of the Exchange calendar and task plugin. By 27/9-2012 is still i release candidate version and must be downloaded manually from here

Go to thunderbird -> Tools -> Add-on and install Exchange Calendar and Tasks Add-on for Lightning plugin. Next setup a calendar, on the network of type Microsoft Exchange 2007/2010. Don't use the autodiscover function but use:
Server URL: https://mail.win.dtu.dk/ews/exchange.asmx
Mailbox name: abcd@imm.dtu.dk
Username: abcd
Domainname: WIN
Folderbase: Calendar Folder

To see other users calendar, change the Mailbox name to that particular user but maintain Username to your username. Note: the owner of the calendar you want to see must have granted you right to see it (not just free/busy information).

Via davmail.imm.dtu.dk

2012-09-22: After the upgrade to exchange 2010 davmail is no longer working

'Add the calendar in Thunderbird:

- Click
"Create a new calendar" in Thunderbird
- Choose
"On the Network" - click Next
- Choose
"CalDAV" and as location use https://davmail.imm.dtu.dk:1080/users/user@win.dtu.dk/calendar
where [user] is your DTU portal login. Click Next
- Give your calendar a name and choose the Exchange e-mail account in the list and Click next then Finish.

- You may want to delete the local default calendar 'home'. Events in this can only be seen on the local computer and invitations you accept are automatically added to this calendar. Before you delete it move any existing events to your exchange calendar.

To see another users calendar (assuming the user has granted you permission) create a another calendar with url https://davmail.imm.dtu.dk:1080/users/otheruser@win.dtu.dk/calendar

Note: The trailing "calendar" in the url might be "kalendar". To see the exact name the owner has to logon to http://mail.win.dtu.dkand get the exact name.

To give other users access to ones calendar, one have to acccess the calendar via an outlook client (e.g. on Windows_Terminal_Server).