Looking for advice on GOOGLE services integration

Support & Help Requests
#1

Hello Everyone!

Brand new Ubuntu Mate user here. Was a long time Ubuntu User back before they started using Unity and I kind of fell out of using Linux. Things just seemed to be harder than they needed to be and I spent more time tweaking my system than using it.

Mate is the first system that feels like home to me, with a little customisation work it seems to fit right back into my workflow. I’ve been trailing it in a Virtual Machine but could see me moving to it in a native environment pretty soon.

The issue I’m having is less about Mate, but more about making something work in it. Specifically i’d like to use Google’s Services (Gmail, Calendar, Contacts) natively within a PIM application within Mate itself. I dislike web interfaces in general and prefer something that intigrates natively with the system though a program of some sort.

I’ve done alot of reading on the pro’s and cons of using Thunderbird, Evolution, and a number of others but can’t really see how well google services works with them recently. Most of the information I find is years old and somewhat contridictory.

It seems Google has gone out of their way to make using their services outside of their native websites difficult. I was wondering if anyone has had any success with this in Ubuntu Mate 16.04?

Any help, advice, tutorials etc would be appreciated.

I’m really looking forward to using Mate more!

#2

Hi @VinceN,

you said that you don’t want to use a web browser, maybe the apps you want can be used “Offline”?:

The package “account-plugin-google” is already installed in Ubuntu Mate but I cannot find out how to access it?, maybe someone else can help you there?. :frowning:

#3

Yes, that’s the only feature I miss from Ubuntu, online accounts integration. We are talking about this here:

Best regards!!

1 Like
#4

Thanks for the responses @wolfman and @acutbal What i’m looking for specifically is a way to integrate a PIM manage application (Such as Evolution, or Thunderbird) to use Google Services Naively with Sync between Google Data and Client Program Data. I want it to be seamless. If I add an appointment in the program when I’m at home, I want it to update Google. If I add something on my phone, I want it to sync to the program.

Email is easy, Just use IMAP.
Calendar and contacts seems to be the sticking point with Google.

1 Like
#5

@VinceN You can try Calendar-Indicator, the best option for Google Calendar:

https://launchpad.net/calendar-indicator

For Google Contacts I’m still looking for a solution.

Regards!!

1 Like
#6

Thanks @acutbal. I did run across this in my research but it doesn’t seem to quite fit what i’m looking for.

I basically want Microsoft Outlook, but for Ubuntu Mate and running off Googles Services.

Near as I can tell, Google does what it can to break such solutions to force you into their website ecosystem (likely so they can show you ads with it).

I’m getting frustrated enough with them i’m debating rolling my own Domain/Server, but I’ve never run an email system before and generally don’t want to have to deal with the Spam/Hijacking/IP Blacklisting/ and all the general headaches that I understand can come from it.

#7

@VinceN If I understand correctly you want integrate Microsoft services into Mate, isn’t it?

#8

@acutbal

No, I just used Outlook as an example.

I want to use a program like outlook (Such as Evolution or Thunderbird) in Mate, but with Google’s Services (Gmail, Calendar, Contacts) with two way Sync Capability

So far the only thing I’ve been able to make work with any reliability is Email via IMAP.

I can export my contacts, and get READ ONLY access to my calandar in the client program, but have not been able to get 2 way sync working reliably with various methods.

I was hoping someone might have already figured out a working solution to this since my own efforts have left me wanting to drop my computer out a 10 story window :stuck_out_tongue: ((EDIT: And to be fair, this isn’t a MATE specific issue. There really isn’t a good solution for WIndows/Outlook either))

#9

@VinceN Ok, then you can use Thunderbird and these extensions:

Google Calendar: Lightning + Provider for Google Calendar


Google Contacts: gContactSync

All of these extensions have two way Sync Capability. Best of all, you can use Thunderbird with these extensions in the OS you wish.

Regards!!

1 Like
#10

@acutbal I’ve tried both those options and they haven’t really worked reliably. For some reason the way Google handles recurring appointments with changes made to any individual appointment seems to break them. I really want a native solution but that would require google to play ball and I don’t think they are willing.

Hey, I really appreciate your responses, i’m not trying to shoot everything down. I really think this is a matter of Google not wanting to play ball and support standards (which is disappointing but not anyone’s fault but Google’s.)

Now that being said, I haven’t tried those utilities on MATE so i’m going to give that a go when I get back home today. If it dosen’t work (and no further idea’s from anyone else are forthcoming) I’m starting to think it might be time to learn how to admin a mail server.

1 Like
#11

@VinceN You welcome!! :grinning:

I’m also interested in a solution for reliable integration of some Google services (Or other providers) into Ubuntu Mate.

Best regards!! :grinning:

#12

I might have missed a nuance in theses responses … apologies if so
I’ve been able to use Thunderbird and my iPhone as a PIM.

  • 3 email addresses verizon, yahoo, and gmail
  • use gmail’s capability to check email from other accounts using POP3 [configured on the web]
  • use Thunderbird to read email using IMAP [all three email addresses available]
  • installed Lightening, Lightening Calendar Tabs, & Provider for Google Calendar
  • pointed iPhone 5s to gmail

All email and calendar events are “in synch” and available to iPhone, Dell Laptop, HP desktop.
advantages to using Thunderbird in this fashion:

  1. available in Windows
  1. available from any computer using Web
#13

@pfeiffep

Sounds really close to what I want… If you don’t mind a few questions.

What version of UbuntuMate are you running?
What version of Thunderbird?

Does this get you Google Contacts sync as well?

#14

Don’t mind at all! :wink:
#####What version of UbuntuMate are you running?
16.04 LTS standard install
#####What version of Thunderbird?
38.8.0 whatever is installed with and upgraded via UM
#####Does this get you Google Contacts sync as well?
I’m hesitant [actually avoided] to try the contacts route since I use iPhone contacts

If you decide to try this, and you have multiple email accounts, allow some time [hours] for gmail to retrieve the POP3 accounts. My memory is sketchy as to how long since I first set this up 4 years ago on Ubuntu 12 and an earlier TB version. The main advantage to me is I don’t have email configuration issues when upgrading OS

#15

@pfeiffep

So I got home and gave this a shot and found the same issues I have been having all along.
I’ve uploaded a screenshot detailing the issue.

My Issue

This is a side by side of my main calandar. Note I have other calendars with random info (mostly local sports teams schedules) and these display just fine.

The issue seems to be with reoccurring appointments that have one of their instance’s changed. If I change the time of one of the ocurrances, none of them display correctly in the client program. I don’t think this is Mate, Ubuntu, Thunderbird, or Providers fault; based on the fact that I get this SAME behavior in almost any sync program I attempt to use. It’s really annoying and at this point is making me want to find a whole different provider other than Google that is willing to play nice with my stuff… Though I have no idea who that would be since I want to sync between my phone and my PC and i’m pretty heavily invested into Google’s ecosystem.

Funny, I did that to get away from Microsofts Vendor lock in back in the day, yet here we are. :thumbsdown:

#16

So Evolution, available in the Software Boutique, also has complete Google integration. Thunderbird in Ubuntu MATE 15.10 and 16.04 onwards also comes pre-installed with the required extensions to integrate with Google Contacts and Calendars.

Both have worked for me, I’ve not seen the issue you’re running into :cry:

For Google Drive integration I recommend InSync, also in the Software Boutique. It is proprietary, but so is Drive, and costs $15 but offers a Dropbox like symc solution.

1 Like
Google Drive and OneDrive Integration?
#17

I seem to remember that I had a similar problem with my personal calendar that was some how related to setup and a step I overlooked in Thunderbird. If it comes to me I’ll post back with the exact step.

Possibly this page will help >>> https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/installing-lightning-thunderbird

#18

@Wimpy: A response from the project founder? I’m honored sir! :slight_smile:

I’ll give evolution a shot when I get back home, though I remember the same issues back in the Ubuntu Hedgehog days I remember it being my preferred client.

I’m still debating what to do for a cloud solution as I have been using OneDrive. I was sad to learn that Ubuntu shut down it’s service.

@pfeiffep: Is that different than the Lightning extension currently bundled with Thunderbird by default? Should I uninstall and reinstall it?

#19

@VinceN - I had reason to boot into my test UM 16 partition so I looked at TB … here are the steps I overlooked

In TB main menu

File>New>Calendar>Network>Google

#20

@pfeiffep

I Have no issues adding the calendars themselves (using the steps you provided) its the individual events specifically that don’t work right.