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Chapter 6. Questions and Answers

6.1. What configuration files does KAlarm use?
6.2. Where does KAlarm store its alarms?
6.3. What format are alarms stored in?
6.4. What is the function of KAlarm's Akonadi plugin?
6.5. What is the program kalarmautostart?
6.6. How can I use KAlarm on a non-Plasma™ desktop?

6.1.

What configuration files does KAlarm use?

KAlarm's configuration is held in the following files in the folder qtpaths --paths GenericConfigLocation :

  • kalarmrc holds your KAlarm preferences.
  • kalarmresources holds the list of alarm calendars currently used by KAlarm.

6.2.

Where does KAlarm store its alarms?

When KAlarm is run the first time, it creates the following alarm calendars in the folder qtpaths --paths GenericDataLocation :

  • kalarm/calendar.ics, which holds active alarms.
  • kalarm/expired.ics, which holds archived alarms.
  • kalarm/template.ics, which holds alarm templates.
  • kalarm/displaying.ics, which is a special calendar file to hold details of alarms currently being displayed, which allows KAlarm, when it is restarted, to redisplay alarms which were being displayed when it last stopped.

You can subsequently replace these calendars, except displaying.ics, or create additional alarm calendars in any location which you choose. You can find out which calendar files are currently in use by viewing each calendar's details in the alarm calendars list.

6.3.

What format are alarms stored in?

The calendar files in which KAlarm stores its alarms are text files whose format is defined by the document RFC2445 - Internet Calendaring and Scheduling Core Object Specification (iCalendar). This is the standard format used by all kdepim applications. KAlarm uses certain non-standard properties, in conformance with RFC2445. These are documented in the DESIGN-kalarmcalendar.html file which is distributed with KAlarm.

6.4.

What is the function of KAlarm's Akonadi plugin?

KAlarm uses its Akonadi plugin to provide all features which depend on Akonadi (the KDE PIM cross-desktop storage service). If this plugin is not installed and enabled, KAlarm will lack the following features:

  • Sending emails via KMail, leaving sendmail® as the only option to send emails (see Email preferences).
  • Drag and drop of emails.
  • Selection of email addresses from KAddressBook.
  • Import of birthdays from KAddressBook.
  • Migration of Akonadi alarm calendar resources on the first run of a new version of KAlarm.

If the plugin is installed, it can be enabled or disabled in the General tab of the Configuration dialog.

6.5.

What is the program kalarmautostart?

kalarmautostart is a little helper program whose function is to autostart KAlarm at login.

KAlarm is usually restored by the session manager at login (to redisplay its windows in the same state as they were when you logged off). But if it was not running when you logged off, it would not be started by the session manager and therefore needs to be autostarted. The problem is that when an application is both session managed and autostarted, there is no guarantee as to which will occur first. If autostart gets in first, it will prevent the session manager from restoring the application's state.

To avoid this problem, kalarmautostart is autostarted at login instead of KAlarm. All it does is wait for a short time (to ensure that the session manager has time to do its job) before starting KAlarm, at which point it terminates.

6.6.

How can I use KAlarm on a non-Plasma™ desktop?

To run KAlarm on a non-Plasma™ desktop, the main requirement is to ensure that KAlarm is run automatically whenever you log in. More detailed instructions are contained in the INSTALL file which is distributed with KAlarm.