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October 16, 2009

iCalendar Recurrence Reference and Examples

4.8.5.4 Recurrence Rule


   Property Name: RRULE

   Purpose: This property defines a rule or repeating pattern for
   recurring events, to-dos, or time zone definitions.

   Value Type: RECUR

   Property Parameters: Non-standard property parameters can be
   specified on this property.

   Conformance: This property can be specified one or more times in
   recurring "VEVENT", "VTODO" and "VJOURNAL" calendar components. It
   can also be specified once in each STANDARD or DAYLIGHT sub-component
   of the "VTIMEZONE" calendar component.

   Description: The recurrence rule, if specified, is used in computing
   the recurrence set. The recurrence set is the complete set of
   recurrence instances for a calendar component. The recurrence set is
   generated by considering the initial "DTSTART" property along with
   the "RRULE", "RDATE", "EXDATE" and "EXRULE" properties contained
   within the iCalendar object. The "DTSTART" property defines the first
   instance in the recurrence set. Multiple instances of the "RRULE" and
   "EXRULE" properties can also be specified to define more
   sophisticated recurrence sets. The final recurrence set is generated
   by gathering all of the start date/times generated by any of the
   specified "RRULE" and "RDATE" properties, and excluding any start
   date/times which fall within the union of start date/times generated
   by any specified "EXRULE" and "EXDATE" properties. This implies that
   start date/times within exclusion related properties (i.e., "EXDATE"
   and "EXRULE") take precedence over those specified by inclusion
   properties (i.e., "RDATE" and "RRULE"). Where duplicate instances are
   generated by the "RRULE" and "RDATE" properties, only one recurrence
   is considered. Duplicate instances are ignored.






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RFC 2445                       iCalendar                   November 1998


   The "DTSTART" and "DTEND" property pair or "DTSTART" and "DURATION"
   property pair, specified within the iCalendar object defines the
   first instance of the recurrence. When used with a recurrence rule,
   the "DTSTART" and "DTEND" properties MUST be specified in local time
   and the appropriate set of "VTIMEZONE" calendar components MUST be
   included. For detail on the usage of the "VTIMEZONE" calendar
   component, see the "VTIMEZONE" calendar component definition.

   Any duration associated with the iCalendar object applies to all
   members of the generated recurrence set. Any modified duration for
   specific recurrences MUST be explicitly specified using the "RDATE"
   property.

   Format Definition: This property is defined by the following
   notation:

     rrule      = "RRULE" rrulparam ":" recur CRLF

     rrulparam  = *(";" xparam)

   Example: All examples assume the Eastern United States time zone.

   Daily for 10 occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=DAILY;COUNT=10

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2-11

   Daily until December 24, 1997:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=DAILY;UNTIL=19971224T000000Z

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2-30;October 1-25
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)October 26-31;November 1-30;December 1-23

   Every other day - forever:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=DAILY;INTERVAL=2
     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September2,4,6,8...24,26,28,30;
          October 2,4,6...20,22,24
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)October 26,28,30;November 1,3,5,7...25,27,29;
          Dec 1,3,...

   Every 10 days, 5 occurrences:




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RFC 2445                       iCalendar                   November 1998


     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=DAILY;INTERVAL=10;COUNT=5

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2,12,22;October 2,12

   Everyday in January, for 3 years:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19980101T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;UNTIL=20000131T090000Z;
      BYMONTH=1;BYDAY=SU,MO,TU,WE,TH,FR,SA
     or
     RRULE:FREQ=DAILY;UNTIL=20000131T090000Z;BYMONTH=1

     ==> (1998 9:00 AM EDT)January 1-31
         (1999 9:00 AM EDT)January 1-31
         (2000 9:00 AM EDT)January 1-31

   Weekly for 10 occurrences

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;COUNT=10

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2,9,16,23,30;October 7,14,21
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)October 28;November 4

   Weekly until December 24, 1997

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;UNTIL=19971224T000000Z

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2,9,16,23,30;October 7,14,21
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)October 28;November 4,11,18,25;
                           December 2,9,16,23
   Every other week - forever:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;INTERVAL=2;WKST=SU

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2,16,30;October 14
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)October 28;November 11,25;December 9,23
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 6,20;February
     ...

   Weekly on Tuesday and Thursday for 5 weeks:

    DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
    RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;UNTIL=19971007T000000Z;WKST=SU;BYDAY=TU,TH
    or



Dawson & Stenerson          Standards Track                   [Page 119]

 
RFC 2445                       iCalendar                   November 1998


    RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;COUNT=10;WKST=SU;BYDAY=TU,TH

    ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2,4,9,11,16,18,23,25,30;October 2

   Every other week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday until December 24,
   1997, but starting on Tuesday, September 2, 1997:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;INTERVAL=2;UNTIL=19971224T000000Z;WKST=SU;
      BYDAY=MO,WE,FR
     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2,3,5,15,17,19,29;October
     1,3,13,15,17
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)October 27,29,31;November 10,12,14,24,26,28;
                           December 8,10,12,22

   Every other week on Tuesday and Thursday, for 8 occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;INTERVAL=2;COUNT=8;WKST=SU;BYDAY=TU,TH

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2,4,16,18,30;October 2,14,16

   Monthly on the 1st Friday for ten occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970905T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;COUNT=10;BYDAY=1FR

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 5;October 3
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)November 7;Dec 5
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 2;February 6;March 6;April 3
         (1998 9:00 AM EDT)May 1;June 5

   Monthly on the 1st Friday until December 24, 1997:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970905T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;UNTIL=19971224T000000Z;BYDAY=1FR

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 5;October 3
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)November 7;December 5

   Every other month on the 1st and last Sunday of the month for 10
   occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970907T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;INTERVAL=2;COUNT=10;BYDAY=1SU,-1SU

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 7,28
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)November 2,30



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RFC 2445                       iCalendar                   November 1998


         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 4,25;March 1,29
         (1998 9:00 AM EDT)May 3,31

   Monthly on the second to last Monday of the month for 6 months:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970922T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;COUNT=6;BYDAY=-2MO

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 22;October 20
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)November 17;December 22
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 19;February 16

   Monthly on the third to the last day of the month, forever:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970928T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;BYMONTHDAY=-3

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 28
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)October 29;November 28;December 29
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 29;February 26
     ...

   Monthly on the 2nd and 15th of the month for 10 occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;COUNT=10;BYMONTHDAY=2,15

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2,15;October 2,15
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)November 2,15;December 2,15
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 2,15

   Monthly on the first and last day of the month for 10 occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970930T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;COUNT=10;BYMONTHDAY=1,-1

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 30;October 1
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)October 31;November 1,30;December 1,31
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 1,31;February 1

   Every 18 months on the 10th thru 15th of the month for 10
   occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970910T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;INTERVAL=18;COUNT=10;BYMONTHDAY=10,11,12,13,14,
      15

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 10,11,12,13,14,15



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RFC 2445                       iCalendar                   November 1998


         (1999 9:00 AM EST)March 10,11,12,13

   Every Tuesday, every other month:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;INTERVAL=2;BYDAY=TU

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 2,9,16,23,30
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)November 4,11,18,25
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 6,13,20,27;March 3,10,17,24,31
     ...

   Yearly in June and July for 10 occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970610T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;COUNT=10;BYMONTH=6,7
     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)June 10;July 10
         (1998 9:00 AM EDT)June 10;July 10
         (1999 9:00 AM EDT)June 10;July 10
         (2000 9:00 AM EDT)June 10;July 10
         (2001 9:00 AM EDT)June 10;July 10
     Note: Since none of the BYDAY, BYMONTHDAY or BYYEARDAY components
     are specified, the day is gotten from DTSTART

   Every other year on January, February, and March for 10 occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970310T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;INTERVAL=2;COUNT=10;BYMONTH=1,2,3

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EST)March 10
         (1999 9:00 AM EST)January 10;February 10;March 10
         (2001 9:00 AM EST)January 10;February 10;March 10
         (2003 9:00 AM EST)January 10;February 10;March 10

   Every 3rd year on the 1st, 100th and 200th day for 10 occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970101T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;INTERVAL=3;COUNT=10;BYYEARDAY=1,100,200

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EST)January 1
         (1997 9:00 AM EDT)April 10;July 19
         (2000 9:00 AM EST)January 1
         (2000 9:00 AM EDT)April 9;July 18
         (2003 9:00 AM EST)January 1
         (2003 9:00 AM EDT)April 10;July 19
         (2006 9:00 AM EST)January 1

   Every 20th Monday of the year, forever:



Dawson & Stenerson          Standards Track                   [Page 122]

 
RFC 2445                       iCalendar                   November 1998


     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970519T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=20MO

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)May 19
         (1998 9:00 AM EDT)May 18
         (1999 9:00 AM EDT)May 17
     ...

   Monday of week number 20 (where the default start of the week is
   Monday), forever:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970512T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYWEEKNO=20;BYDAY=MO

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)May 12
         (1998 9:00 AM EDT)May 11
         (1999 9:00 AM EDT)May 17
     ...

   Every Thursday in March, forever:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970313T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=TH

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EST)March 13,20,27
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)March 5,12,19,26
         (1999 9:00 AM EST)March 4,11,18,25
     ...

   Every Thursday, but only during June, July, and August, forever:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970605T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=TH;BYMONTH=6,7,8

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)June 5,12,19,26;July 3,10,17,24,31;
                       August 7,14,21,28
         (1998 9:00 AM EDT)June 4,11,18,25;July 2,9,16,23,30;
                       August 6,13,20,27
         (1999 9:00 AM EDT)June 3,10,17,24;July 1,8,15,22,29;
                       August 5,12,19,26
     ...

   Every Friday the 13th, forever:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     EXDATE;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;BYDAY=FR;BYMONTHDAY=13




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RFC 2445                       iCalendar                   November 1998


     ==> (1998 9:00 AM EST)February 13;March 13;November 13
         (1999 9:00 AM EDT)August 13
         (2000 9:00 AM EDT)October 13
     ...

   The first Saturday that follows the first Sunday of the month,
    forever:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970913T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;BYDAY=SA;BYMONTHDAY=7,8,9,10,11,12,13

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 13;October 11
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)November 8;December 13
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 10;February 7;March 7
         (1998 9:00 AM EDT)April 11;May 9;June 13...
     ...

   Every four years, the first Tuesday after a Monday in November,
   forever (U.S. Presidential Election day):

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19961105T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;INTERVAL=4;BYMONTH=11;BYDAY=TU;BYMONTHDAY=2,3,4,
      5,6,7,8

     ==> (1996 9:00 AM EST)November 5
         (2000 9:00 AM EST)November 7
         (2004 9:00 AM EST)November 2
     ...

   The 3rd instance into the month of one of Tuesday, Wednesday or
   Thursday, for the next 3 months:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970904T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;COUNT=3;BYDAY=TU,WE,TH;BYSETPOS=3

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 4;October 7
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)November 6

   The 2nd to last weekday of the month:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970929T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;BYDAY=MO,TU,WE,TH,FR;BYSETPOS=-2

     ==> (1997 9:00 AM EDT)September 29
         (1997 9:00 AM EST)October 30;November 27;December 30
         (1998 9:00 AM EST)January 29;February 26;March 30
     ...




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RFC 2445                       iCalendar                   November 1998


   Every 3 hours from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on a specific day:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=HOURLY;INTERVAL=3;UNTIL=19970902T170000Z

     ==> (September 2, 1997 EDT)09:00,12:00,15:00

   Every 15 minutes for 6 occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MINUTELY;INTERVAL=15;COUNT=6

     ==> (September 2, 1997 EDT)09:00,09:15,09:30,09:45,10:00,10:15

   Every hour and a half for 4 occurrences:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=MINUTELY;INTERVAL=90;COUNT=4

     ==> (September 2, 1997 EDT)09:00,10:30;12:00;13:30

   Every 20 minutes from 9:00 AM to 4:40 PM every day:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970902T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=DAILY;BYHOUR=9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16;BYMINUTE=0,20,40
     or
     RRULE:FREQ=MINUTELY;INTERVAL=20;BYHOUR=9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16

     ==> (September 2, 1997 EDT)9:00,9:20,9:40,10:00,10:20,
                                ... 16:00,16:20,16:40
         (September 3, 1997 EDT)9:00,9:20,9:40,10:00,10:20,
                               ...16:00,16:20,16:40
     ...

   An example where the days generated makes a difference because of
   WKST:

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970805T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;INTERVAL=2;COUNT=4;BYDAY=TU,SU;WKST=MO

     ==> (1997 EDT)Aug 5,10,19,24

     changing only WKST from MO to SU, yields different results...

     DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19970805T090000
     RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;INTERVAL=2;COUNT=4;BYDAY=TU,SU;WKST=SU
     ==> (1997 EDT)August 5,17,19,31




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RFC 2445                       iCalendar                   November 1998

 

Posted by pj at October 16, 2009 09:26 AM

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