This article describes how to use Google calendars together with Lightning. You can use Google calendars in two ways. You can either have read-only access to public calendars or you can use a bi-directional calendar, with both read and write-access.

Read access

If you only need read-access to a Google calendar, you can use the link of the public ICS file which is provided by Google, as indicated on this Google Help article: View from other applications

Read and write access

Downloading Provider for Google Calendar

If you need both read and write access to your calendar, you need to install the Provider for Google Calendar from addons.mozilla.org.

1. Open the Provider for Google Calendar addon website.
2. Download the file by right-clicking on the Download now link and choosing Save as.

Installing and configuring the add-on

1. To install the add-on, click the menu button or select the Tools menu from the Thunderbird menu bar and choose Add-ons. The Add-ons Manager page will open.
2. Click on the Add-ons Manager page and then select Install Add-on From File....
3. Locate the downloaded file on your machine and click Open.
4. You will be prompted to install. Click Install Now to complete the installation.

Importing the calendar into Lightning

To import the calendar into Lightning:

1. Go to the Thunderbird's File menu and select New. From the sub-menu, select Calendar.
2. Once the wizard opens, select On the network from the available options and click NextContinue.
3. Choose Google Calendar.
4. Click NextContinue.
5. Enter your Google email address and click NextContinue.
6. If prompted, enter your Gmail account details and allow the Provider for Google Calendar add-on to manage your calendars.
7. Choose the calendars you want to use in Thunderbird.
8. Click NextContinue.
9. You'll get a confirmation that your calendar has been created. Click FinishDone.

There's still some limitations with using the google-calendar, please see the GData provider page on wiki.mozilla.org.