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ngcalsync is an open-source, lightweight Java application designed to solve a very specific problem: syncing your corporate Lotus Notes calendar to your Google Calendar.

Because it targets corporate setups, its standout feature is the ability to anonymize or mask event details before pushing them to Google. This blocks out your specific work schedule to keep your personal life organized while keeping sensitive company meeting descriptions completely private. Key Features of ngcalsync

One-Way Sync: It securely pushes events from Lotus Notes to Google Calendar.

Data Anonymization: Replaces private text with generic titles (e.g., “Meeting” or “Busy”).

Zero-Installation Footprint: It runs as a standalone Java application (.jar file) without complex system installations.

Configurable Intervals: Can be automated to sync periodically in the background. Step-by-Step Setup Guide 1. Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure your system has the following components ready:

Java Runtime Environment (JRE): Version 1.8 or higher installed on your computer.

Lotus Notes Client: Installed, configured, and actively running on the machine where you run the tool. Google Account: Access to the target Google Calendar. 2. Download the Software

Go to the ngcalsync SourceForge Repository or the fjakop ngcalsync GitHub page. Download the latest stable .zip or compiled .jar file.

Extract the contents to a dedicated folder on your local machine (e.g., C:\ngcalsync). 3. Initialize the Configuration Files

Open your terminal (Command Prompt on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux).

Navigate to your extraction folder and execute the application for the first time by running: java -jar ngcalsync.jar Use code with caution.

The application will immediately exit on its first run. This is expected behavior; it automatically creates a hidden folder named .ngcalsync in your user home directory (~/.ngcalsync or C:\Users\YourName.ngcalsync) containing the necessary template files. 4. Configure ngcalsync.properties

Navigate to the newly created .ngcalsync directory and open the configuration file in a text editor to set up your preferences: Lotus Notes Settings:

Set your Notes mail server and the local path to your Notes mail database file (usually ending in .nsf).

If prompted by your corporate environment, configure your Notes password handling preference. Google Calendar Settings:

Define the target calendar ID. Tip: It is highly recommended to create a dedicated, empty secondary calendar in Google called “Work Sync” rather than using your primary calendar. Privacy & Filtering Rules:

Locate the anonymization toggles. You can configure the tool to replace all titles with a hardcoded string like “Occupied” or choose to only sync specific categories of entries. 5. Authenticate with Google

Run the application again using your terminal: java -jar ngcalsync.jar

Because it is the first true data run, the application will use OAuth 2.0 to request access.

Your default web browser will automatically open, prompting you to log into your Google Account.

Grant the application read/write permissions to manage your Google Calendars.

Once authorized, Google will pass an access token back to the application, which is securely saved locally for future automatic runs. 6. Automate the Process

To prevent manually triggering the script every day, configure it to run quietly on a schedule:

Windows: Open Task Scheduler, create a new Basic Task, and schedule it to run java -jar C:\ngcalsync\ngcalsync.jar every hour or upon system startup.

macOS / Linux: Open your terminal and create a cron job by running crontab -e. Add a line to execute the tool at your preferred frequency (e.g., 0cd /path/to/ngcalsync && java -jar ngcalsync.jar). Troubleshooting Common Errors

“Notes Thread Not Initialized”: ngcalsync relies on native Lotus Notes API binaries (Notes.jar). Ensure that your system’s PATH variable includes the directory where your Lotus Notes client is installed so Java can locate its native libraries.

Google API Errors / Quota Limits: Ensure you are using the latest version of ngcalsync, as older iterations might use deprecated Google API endpoints.

Changes Not Reflecting: ngcalsync modifies events on an incremental or timed loop. If modifications don’t instantly show up, try forcing a manual sync cycle or clearing the local sync cache state file hidden inside the .ngcalsync directory. If you are setting this up right now, let me know:

What Operating System (Windows, macOS, Linux) are you using?

Are you running into any specific error messages during the initialization step?

I can provide the exact command line paths or script syntax tailored to your system. ngcalsync download | SourceForge.net