davekilleen / calendar-setup

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Calendar Setup - Enable Fast Queries

Purpose: Grant calendar access for 30x faster calendar queries (30s → <1s)

When to run:

• After initial Dex installation
• If calendar queries feel slow
• If you see "Calendar access denied" errors

Process

1. Check current permission status:

   • Run the permission checker: python3 core/mcp/scripts/check_calendar_permission.py
   • Show the user what status was returned
   • Do not promise that a Mac permission dialog will appear. When Dex runs inside VS Code or Cursor, that dialog often never shows.

2. If Already Authorized:

   • Great! Calendar queries are already optimized.
   • No action needed.

3. If NotDetermined or Denied:

   • VS Code and Cursor are first-class Calendar surfaces. Send the person to System Settings for the app Dex is running in. Do not send them to a standalone terminal as the only path. Do not tell them to wait for a popup. Do not tell them that granting Terminal, Python, or python3 is enough.

   • Show clear instructions:

     To enable fast calendar queries:
     
     1. Open System Settings (Command+Space, type "System Settings")
     2. Click "Privacy & Security" in the sidebar
     3. Click "Calendars"
     4. Find the app Dex is running in — VS Code or Cursor — and turn it on
     5. Click that app and set access to Full (not "Add Only")
     6. Quit the editor and open it again
     7. Run /calendar-setup again to verify

   • A Terminal grant does not transfer to the editor. Reinstalling Dex does not fix a missing editor grant.

4. If Restricted:

   • Explain: "Calendar access is blocked by system policies (parental controls or enterprise MDM)"
   • Calendar queries will use AppleScript (slower but functional)
   • No user action possible

5. After Success:

   • Confirm: "✅ Calendar access granted! Queries are now 30x faster."
   • Explain: "Calendar queries now use native EventKit instead of AppleScript"
   • No need to run this again - permission is persistent for that app

Technical Notes

• EventKit vs AppleScript: EventKit uses database queries (fast), AppleScript loads all events then filters (slow)
• Permission is per app: macOS grants Calendar access to the app that is asking. When Dex runs inside VS Code or Cursor, grant that editor. A Terminal grant does not carry over.
• Permission is persistent: Once granted to the editor, access lasts until it is revoked
• Privacy: All calendar data stays local - Dex never sends calendar data anywhere
• Fallback: If EventKit isn't available, Dex falls back to AppleScript (works but slower)

Troubleshooting

"Module EventKit not found":

• Run: pip3 install pyobjc-framework-EventKit
• This should have been installed during Dex setup

No permission popup / access still denied:

• Do not wait for a dialog, and do not switch to Terminal as the only fix
• Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Calendars
• Turn on VS Code or Cursor (the app Dex is running in) and set Full access
• A grant already given to Terminal, Python, or python3 does not transfer
• Reinstalling Dex does not fix this

Still seeing slow queries after granting access:

• Restart the app Dex is running in (VS Code or Cursor) to reload the calendar connection
• Verify permission: python3 core/mcp/scripts/check_calendar_permission.py