Frequently Asked Questions

Advanced Use

Wondering how to use some of VueMinder's more advanced features? These are the most common questions we receive. If your question isn't answered here, please contact us. We'll be happy to help.

How do I share calendars with other VueMinder users over the web?

You can share calendars with other VueMinder users, allowing them to view and modify your calendar. All the extended event and reminder properties that VueMinder provides will also be shared. The easiest method to share calendars is by syncing through Google Calendar. To add a Google Calendar to VueMinder, use the Add Google Calendar command on the File menu. Repeat on each computer, making sure to add the same Google Calendar. If using a different Google account on the other computers, you can enable other users to access your Google Calendar via the "Share this calendar" link on the Google Calendar webpage. As long as the same calendar is added on each computer, changes made on one computer will automatically sync to the others, using Google Calendar as a pass-through for the data.

How do I share calendars over my local network?

VueMinder Pro can share events over a local network. VueMinder Ultimate can also share contacts, tasks, and notes. Detailed step-by-step instructions explain how to install MySQL Server, connect VueMinder to the server, and configure calendars to be shared.

I use VueMinder on both a desktop and a laptop. How can I keep them in sync?

There are several ways to sync your data between your desktop and laptop, and the best approach will vary depending on your needs.

If you only use one computer at a time...
A USB version of VueMinder is available. This version provides all the same features as the non-USB version, except it can run from a USB stick, network folder, or a cloud drive. There's no installation required, so you can run it from any computer that is running Windows 7, 8.x, or 10. You don't even need administrator rights to run it. This is probably the easiest approach, since no syncing is required. Simply run VueMinder USB from your USB stick or cloud drive. When you need to move to a different computer, take your USB stick to that computer or access the USB version via a cloud drive after exiting VueMinder on the previous computer.

You can also use the USB and non-USB versions in conjunction and transfer data between the two versions via the Transfer Data command on the File menu.

If your desktop and laptop are on the same network...
Calendars can be synced through a shared database. Install MySQL Server your desktop, laptop, or other computer on your local network. Configure the Sharing Options on your computers to access the server and then enable sharing via the Sync tab of the Calendar Properties.

If your desktop and laptop aren’t on the same network, or if you take your laptop to work... Sync both computers with Google Calendar. To do this, add the same calendar to your computers by using the "Add Google Calendar" command on the File menu and making sure the sync direction is set to 2-way. Changes made on one computer will sync with Google Calendar and then sync with your other computers. Google Calendar will basically just act as a pass-through. This approach will also enable you to sync VueMinder with your mobile devices.

If you don’t have a network connection, or if none of the above options won’t work... You can still manually sync by using the "Backup Data" command on the "File" menu. Select a location where you’d like to store the calendar data (such as a flash drive), and click the "Backup" button. On the other computer, click the "Restore Data" command and then browse to the same location. Note this is only one-directional. Any existing data you have on the computer will be overwritten when you restore.

How do I keep VueMinder in sync with my mobile devices?

The easiest method would be to sync VueMinder with Google Calendar and configure your mobile devices to also sync with the same Google Calendar. If you don't want to use Google Calendar, VueMinder Ultimate can sync with Microsoft Exchange. Most mobile devices can sync calendars through Exchange ActiveSync.

How do I add holiday calendars to VueMinder?

One of the often overlooked features of VueMinder is the Add Public Calendars and Holidays command. This command, accessed from the File menu, allows you to easily add holidays, sports schedules, local weather, moon phases, and many other calendars to VueMinder.

How do I add sunrise and sunset times to VueMinder?

  1. Click the "Add Public Calendars and Holidays" command on the File menu.
  2. Expand "More Calendars" on the left side of the window.
  3. Click "WebCal.fi".
  4. Available calendars will be listed. You might need to maximize the window to get a better view of the available calendars.
  5. Click the "Download Sun to your calendar" link.
  6. Click the "Subscribe Sun" button. if you want to fine-tune the settings, click the "Settings" link first and adjust the settings as needed.
  7. A message will appear stating the calendar will be added to VueMinder. Click the OK button.
  8. Add any other calendars you're interested in and then click the Close button when finished.
  9. The calendar(s) will appear in VueMinder and will automatically update every day.

How do I set default reminders for new events and tasks?

If you're using the Pro or Ultimate version (not Lite), default reminders for new events can be configured via the "Event Defaults" tab of the Event Calendar Properties. Similarly, default reminders for new tasks can be configured via the "Task Defaults" tab of the Task Calendar Properties. There are other default settings that can be configured as well, such as duration, category, location, etc.

Each calendar can have its own default settings. These settings will be applied when new events or tasks are created. Note, setting the defaults will NOT affect previously created events or tasks. The defaults are only used for new items.

There's also a checkbox at the bottom of the properties window to apply the specified defaults to any new calendars. This includes calendars that are created when importing from external files. This is a quick and easy way to apply reminders to events in bulk when imported from a source that doesn't have reminders enabled.

How do I sync VueMinder with more than one Google account?

VueMinder can only sync with one Google account. To work around this limitation, follow these steps:

  1. On the Google Calendar webpage, log into the account that is not synced with VueMinder.
  2. Click the drop-down arrow next to the calendar you want to sync with VueMinder and select "Share this calendar".
  3. Share the calendar with the Google account that you're syncing with VueMinder.
  4. In VueMinder, add the shared calendar using the "Add Google Calendar" command on the File menu.

How do I change which Google account VueMinder is configured with sync with?

When you initially configure VueMinder to sync with Google Calendar, VueMinder will use whichever Google account is currently logged in. However, after enabling access you could log out of that Google account and into a different one. From that point onward, it doesn't matter which account is currently logged in. In other words, you don't need to log your web browser out of one Google account and into another one in preparation for VueMinder to sync with previously added calendars.

If you need to switch which account VueMinder is syncing with, easiest thing would be to follow these steps:

  1. Remove any calendars from VueMinder that are currently configured to sync with Google Calendar.
  2. Click the "Add Google Calendar" command on the File menu.
  3. Click the "Use a different account" button in the upper-left corner.
  4. Make sure your web browser is logged into the correct account. This is the one and only time it matters. As mentioned above, after access is granted you could be logged into any other account without affecting VueMinder's ability to sync.
  5. After enabling VueMinder to access your account, add the desired calendars. If you've shared calendars with this account from your other accounts, those calendars should appear in the list of available calendars.

Still Have Questions?

If your question isn't covered in the FAQ, please ask it below or contact us directly. We'll be happy to help.

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