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Okay, so FQQD is having trouble with their FOSS calendar setup. Let me see... They mentioned NextCloud, DAVx5, and Fossify Calendar. The problem is appointments disappearing randomly. They want a reliable Google Calendar alternative that they can self-host. Hmm, where to start?
First, I need to consider the possible points of failure here. NextCloud is a common self-hosted solution, but maybe their setup is having sync issues. DAVx5 is an Android app for CardDAV and CalDAV, so maybe the connection between NextCloud and DAVx5 isn't stable. Or perhaps Fossify Calendar is the issue. Wait, what's Fossify Calendar? I'm not too familiar. Maybe it's another client or a different service?
The user says appointments are "missing after a while, seemingly random." That suggests a sync problem. Maybe data isn't being synced correctly between devices. Or maybe there's a retention policy or data purging somewhere they didn't configure. Or perhaps the server is having issues, like storage space, database corruption, or misconfigured services.
Self-hosting can be tricky. Maybe they're not using a reliable server, like a home server that goes down often? Or maybe there's a firewall or DNS issue causing the sync to fail sometimes. Also, the clients (DAVx5 and Fossify) might have bugs. Are they using the latest versions? Maybe they need to check logs on NextCloud for errors.
Another angle: maybe the combination of clients is causing conflicts. Using two different CalDAV clients (DAVx5 and Fossify) might lead to data inconsistencies. Like, if one client deletes an event and the other doesn't get the update, or vice versa. Or perhaps the way they're syncing isn't set up properly, like multiple accounts pointing to the same calendar but not syncing in both directions.
The user is frustrated because they expected FOSS tools to work seamlessly, but maybe they're not considering the complexity of self-hosting. FOSS can be powerful but requires more maintenance. Maybe they need a more robust setup, like using a different calendar server. Alternatives to NextCloud for self-hosted CalDAV include Radicale, SabreDAV, or Citadel. Or maybe they could try a different client that's more reliable, like CalDAV-Sync for Android instead of DAVx5? Although DAVx5 is generally good, maybe there's an issue with their specific configuration.
Also, the user is asking for a real Google Calendar alternative. Google Calendar is known for reliability, so the alternative needs to be just as reliable. Maybe they should consider if self-hosting is the best route here. If they're not tech-savvy, maybe a hosted FOSS service would be better, but the user mentioned wanting to self-host. So, perhaps a more reliable self-hosted solution with better documentation or community support?
Another thought: maybe encryption or SSL settings are causing issues. If the server's SSL certificate isn's properly configured, some clients might fail to sync. Or maybe the server is behind a reverse proxy with misconfigured headers. Also, checking the database on NextCloud for corruption or missed updates could help. Maybe running maintenance tasks on NextCloud's database?
Also, the user might not be aware of backup solutions. Maybe setting up regular backups for NextCloud would help recover missing events if they disappear again. But that's more of a workaround than a solution to the sync problem.
Hmm, maybe the problem is with the calendar clients not syncing properly. For example, DAVx5 might have a sync interval that's too long, or it's not set to sync automatically. Or maybe the calendar on the laptop isn’t set up correctly to pull from NextCloud. They should check the sync settings on both devices.
Alternatively, could there be a network issue where sometimes the connection between the phone, laptop, and server drops, leading to incomplete syncs? If they’re using a mobile data connection that’s unreliable, that could cause partial syncs. Maybe using a more stable connection or configuring sync to happen over Wi-Fi only?
Wait, also, maybe the problem is with the way events are being created. Are they creating events on one device and expecting the other to pick them up? If there’s a conflict in time zones or some other parameter, maybe the events aren’t syncing correctly. Or perhaps the clients are set to different calendars on NextCloud, so events are being saved to separate calendars that aren’t linked.
Another angle: maybe the user is using a free NextCloud instance or a low-resource server, leading to timeouts or incomplete processes. If the server is underpowered, it might not handle sync requests properly, especially under load.
I should also consider the possibility of a bug in NextCloud's calendar module. Maybe they're using an older version that has known issues. Updating NextCloud to the latest version might resolve the problem. Similarly, checking for any recent updates to DAVx5 or Fossify Calendar could help.
Alternatively, maybe switching to a different self-hosted calendar solution altogether. For example, Radicale is a simple CalDAV server that might be easier to configure and less resource-heavy. Or maybe using a combination of tools like ownCloud (though it’s different from NextCloud) but I think NextCloud is a fork.
Wait, the user mentioned Fossify Calendar. Let me check what that is. A quick search... Fossify Calendar is part of Fossify’s apps, which are privacy-focused. Maybe it’s a CalDAV client similar to DAVx5, but perhaps less mature or with different bugs. The user might be using two different clients (DAVx5 and Fossify) which could be conflicting. Maybe they should use only one client to avoid conflicts.
In terms of recommendations, possible steps could be:
1. Check NextCloud logs for errors related to calendar sync.
2. Ensure all components (NextCloud, DAVx5, Fossify) are updated to latest versions.
3. Test with only one client (DAVx5 or Fossify) to eliminate possible conflicts.
4. Check server configuration (SSL, firewall, reverse proxy settings).
5. Consider alternative self-hosted CalDAV servers like Radicale or Citadel.
6. Look into community support forums for NextCloud and the clients mentioned.
7. Ensure proper backups and maybe set up automatic backups for NextCloud.
8. If all else fails, consider a hosted FOSS solution if self-hosting is too problematic.
The user wants a reliable alternative to Google Calendar. So, perhaps after troubleshooting, if self-hosting isn’t working, they might need to use a commercial service with FOSS roots but reliable hosting, like FreedomBox? Or maybe just bite the bullet and use Google Calendar, but that goes against their FOSS preference.
Also, maybe the problem is with the way events are being deleted. Are they accidentally deleting events on one device, or is it happening automatically? The user said “missing after a while, seemingly random,” so it’s probably not user error. But it could be a sync issue where events are being marked as deleted on one device and the other isn’t syncing that deletion.
Another thought: CalDAV has a concept of “UID” for events. If two clients create the same event with different UIDs, they might conflict. But that’s more of a manual error. Maybe the clients aren’t handling UID generation properly, leading to duplicates or deletions?
Alternatively, maybe the NextCloud calendar app has a bug where it deletes events under certain conditions, like when there’s a conflict or when merging from multiple sources. If the user is syncing multiple accounts or calendars, that could cause issues.
In any case, the user needs to do some troubleshooting steps first before considering a switch. But if they want a more reliable self-hosted solution, alternatives to NextCloud might be worth exploring. #FOSSCalendar #NextCloud #DAVx5 #FossifyCalendar #SelfHostingTroubleshooting
