If you have determined a calendar module is appropriate for your site, the next step is to select which module you will use, get it installed and configured and then start adding events. There are only 2 worth considering at this point - eXtCal and piCal. Let's take a look at some of the things to look for in a calendar module.

Basic to any calendar is a subject, start date and time, end date and time and a description. More advanced options are the ability to have the event repeat and assign it to one or more categories. Also, importing and exporting events, allowing subcategories, allowing comments and notifications, a variety of display options and control over who can submit, edit and delete events are things to consider as you select your module.

The Contenders: eXtCal and piCal

eXtCal and piCal are the only 2 calendar modules under active development and support. I recommend downloading and evaluating each of them based on your needs. They both handle the basics and have many advanced features, but they do differ in their approach. One significant factor that influenced my decision was the ability to import and export events, especially in ical format. The only module that currently supports that is piCal. Without an import feature, you will need to create all your events within the module, which can be rather time consuming. If you can import and already have a calendar you use, you can export the events from your calendar to be imported into your online calendar. This led me to piCal as my final choice for my sites.

 A few other features I find quite useful are the ability to use any folder name (like calendar, or events), changing the categories for multiple items, the ability to have subcategories, being able to edit 1 single occurrence of a recurring event, copying events, and having a submit link on all the calendar views. piCal is written by GiJoe, who has writtent the top security module for XOOPS and ImpressCMS, so I have great faith in his other modules. Zoullou, the author of eXtCal, has stated his modules will only be supported on the XOOPS platform, so if you plan on using ImpressCMS, don't expect to have eXtCal work right off the bat (in fact, it doesn't).

Both modules install like normal modules - upload to the modules folder. log in as an administrator and install the module. Once you've installed your module, go to its administration area and begin setting up your options.