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Get incremental changes to events in a calendar view

By using delta query, you can get new, updated, or deleted events in a specified calendar or within a defined collection of events (as a calendar view) in the calendar. This article describes the latter: getting such incremental changes to events in a calendar view.

Note

The capability for the former—getting incremental changes to events in a calendar not bound to a fixed start and end date range—is currently available only in the beta version. For more information, see delta function.

A calendar view is a collection of events in a date/time range (../me/calendarView) from the default calendar or some other specified calendar of a user or from a group calendar. The returned events may include single instances or occurrences and exceptions of a recurring series. The delta data enables you to maintain and synchronize a local store of a user's events without having to fetch the entire set of the user's events from the server every time.

Delta query supports both full synchronization that retrieves all the events in the specified calendar view, and incremental synchronization that retrieves those events that have changed in the calendar view since the last synchronization. Typically, you would do an initial full synchronization, and subsequently get incremental changes to that calendar view periodically.

Track event changes in a calendar view

Delta query for events in a calendar view is specific to a calendar and date/time range that you specify. To track the changes in multiple calendars, you need to track each calendar individually.

Tracking event changes in a calendar view typically is a round of one or more GET requests with the delta function. The initial GET request is very much like the way you list a calendarView except that you include the delta function. The following is the initial GET delta request of a calendar view in the signed-in user's default calendar:

GET /me/calendarView/delta?startDateTime={start_datetime}&endDateTime={end_datetime}

A GET request with the delta function returns either:

  • A @odata.nextLink (that contains a URL with a delta function call and a $skipToken), or
  • A @odata.deltaLink (that contains a URL with a delta function call and $deltaToken).

These tokens are state tokens which encode the startDateTime and endDateTime parameters, and any other query parameter in your initial delta query GET request. You do not need to include these parameters in subsequent requests as they are encoded in the tokens.

State tokens are completely opaque to the client. To proceed with a round of change tracking, simply copy and apply the @odata.nextLink or @odata.deltaLink URL returned from the last GET request to the next delta function call for that same calendar view. A @odata.deltaLink returned in a response signifies that the current round of change tracking is complete. You can save and use the @odata.deltaLink URL when you begin the next round.

See the example to learn how to use these @odata.nextLink and @odata.deltaLink URLs.

Use query parameters in a delta query for calendar view

  • Include the startDateTime and endDateTime parameters to define a date/time range for your calendar view.
  • $select is not supported.

Optional request header

Each delta query GET request returns a collection of one or more events in the response. You can optionally specify the request header, Prefer: odata.maxpagesize={x}, to set the maximum number of events in a response.

Example: synchronize events in a calendar view

The following example shows a series of 3 requests to synchronize the user's default calendar in a specific time range. There are 5 events in that calendar view.

For brevity, the sample responses show only a subset of the properties for an event. In an actual call, most event properties are returned.

See what you'll do in the next round.

Step 1: sample initial request

In this example, the specified calendar view in the signed-in user's default calendar is being synchronized for the first time, so the initial sync request does not include any state token. This round will return all the events in that calendar view.

The first request specifies the following:

  • Date/time values for the startDateTime and endDateTime parameters.
  • The optional request header, odata.maxpagesize, returning 2 events at a time.
GET https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/calendarView/delta?startdatetime=2016-12-01T00:00:00Z&enddatetime=2016-12-30T00:00:00Z HTTP/1.1
Prefer: odata.maxpagesize=2

Sample initial response

The response includes two events and a @odata.nextLink response header with a skipToken. The @odata.nextLink URL indicates there are more events in the calendar view to get.

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
    "@odata.context":"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#Collection(event)",
    "@odata.nextLink":"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/calendarView/delta?$skiptoken=R0usmcCM996atia_s",
    "value":[
        {
            "@odata.type":"#microsoft.graph.event",
            "@odata.etag":"W/\"EZ9r3czxY0m2jz8c45czkwAAFXcvIQ==\"",
            "subject":"Plan shopping list",
            "body":{
                "contentType":"html",
                "content":""
            },
            "start":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-09T20:30:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "end":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-09T22:00:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "attendees":[

            ],
            "organizer":{
                "emailAddress":{
                    "name":"Samantha Booth",
                    "address":"samanthab@contoso.com"
                }
            },
            "id":"AAMkADNVxRAAA="
        },
        {
            "@odata.type":"#microsoft.graph.event",
            "@odata.etag":"W/\"EZ9r3czxY0m2jz8c45czkwAAFXcvIg==\"",
            "subject":"Pick up car",
            "body":{
                "contentType":"html",
                "content":""
            },
            "start":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-10T01:00:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "end":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-10T02:00:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "attendees":[

            ],
            "organizer":{
                "emailAddress":{
                    "name":"Samantha Booth",
                    "address":"samanthab@contoso.com"
                }
            },
            "id":"AAMkADVxSAAA="
        }
    ]
}

Step 2: sample second request

The second request specifies the @odata.nextLink URL returned from the previous response. Notice that it no longer has to specify the same startDateTime and endDateTime parameters as in the initial request, as the skipToken in the @odata.nextLink URL encodes and includes them.

GET https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/calendarView/delta?$skiptoken=R0usmcCM996atia_s HTTP/1.1
Prefer: odata.maxpagesize=2

Sample second response

The second response returns the next 2 events in the calendar view and another @odata.nextLink, indicating there are more events to get from the calendar view.

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
    "@odata.context":"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#Collection(event)",
    "@odata.nextLink":"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/calendarView/delta?$skiptoken=R0usmci39OQxqJrxK4",
    "value":[
        {
            "@odata.type":"#microsoft.graph.event",
            "@odata.etag":"W/\"EZ9r3czxY0m2jz8c45czkwAAFXcvIw==\"",
            "subject":"Get food",
            "body":{
                "contentType":"html",
                "content":""
            },
            "start":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-10T19:30:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "end":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-10T21:30:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "attendees":[

            ],
            "organizer":{
                "emailAddress":{
                    "name":"Samantha Booth",
                    "address":"samanthab@contoso.com"
                }
            },
            "id":"AAMkADVxTAAA="
        },
        {
            "@odata.type":"#microsoft.graph.event",
            "@odata.etag":"W/\"EZ9r3czxY0m2jz8c45czkwAAFXcvJA==\"",
            "subject":"Prepare food",
            "body":{
                "contentType":"html",
                "content":""
            },
            "start":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-10T22:00:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "end":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-11T00:00:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "attendees":[

            ],
            "organizer":{
                "emailAddress":{
                    "name":"Samantha Booth",
                    "address":"samanthab@contoso.com"
                }
            },
            "id":"AAMkADVxUAAA="
        }
    ]
}

Step 3: sample third request

The third request continues to use the latest @odata.nextLink returned from the last sync request.

GET https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/calendarView/delta?$skiptoken=R0usmci39OQxqJrxK4 HTTP/1.1
Prefer: odata.maxpagesize=2

Sample third and final response

The third response returns the only remaining event in the calendar view, and a @odata.deltaLink URL which indicates synchronization is complete for this calendar view. Save and use the @odata.deltaLink URL to synchronize that calendar view in the next round.

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
    "@odata.context":"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#Collection(event)",
    "@odata.deltaLink":"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/calendarView/delta?$deltatoken=R0usmcMDNGg0J1E",
    "value":[
        {
            "@odata.type":"#microsoft.graph.event",
            "@odata.etag":"W/\"EZ9r3czxY0m2jz8c45czkwAALZu97g==\"",
            "subject":"Rest!",
            "body":{
                "contentType":"html",
                "content":""
            },
            "start":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-12T02:00:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "end":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-12T07:30:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "location":{
                "displayName":"Home"
            },
            "attendees":[

            ],
            "organizer":{
                "emailAddress":{
                    "name":"Samantha Booth",
                    "address":"samanthab@contoso.com"
                }
            },
            "id":"AAMkADj1HuAAA="
        }
    ]
}

The next round: sample first request

Using the @odata.deltaLink from the last request in the last round, you will be able to get only those events that have changed (by being added, deleted, or updated) in that calendar view since then. Your first request in the next round will look like the following, assuming you prefer to keep the same maximum page size in the response:

GET https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/calendarView/delta?$deltatoken=R0usmcMDNGg0J1E HTTP/1.1
Prefer: odata.maxpagesize=2

The next round: sample first response

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
    "@odata.context":"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#Collection(event)",
    "@odata.deltaLink":"https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/calendarView/delta?$deltatoken=R0usmcFuQtZdtpk4",
    "value":[
        {
            "@odata.type": "#microsoft.graph.event",
            "id": "AAMkADk0MGFkODE3LWE4MmYtNDRhOS04OGQLkRkXbBznTvAADb6ytyAAA=",
            "@removed": {
                "reason": "deleted"
            }
        },
        {
            "@odata.type":"#microsoft.graph.event",
            "@odata.etag":"W/\"EZ9r3czxY0m2jz8c45czkwAALZu97w==\"",
            "subject":"Attend service",
            "body":{
                "contentType":"html",
                "content":""
            },
            "start":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-25T06:00:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "end":{
                "dateTime":"2016-12-25T07:30:00.0000000",
                "timeZone":"UTC"
            },
            "location":{
                "displayName":"Chapel of Saint Ignatius",
                "address":{
                    "street":"900 Broadway",
                    "city":"Seattle",
                    "state":"WA",
                    "countryOrRegion":"United States",
                    "postalCode":""
                },
                "coordinates":{
                    "latitude":47.6105,
                    "longitude":-122.321
                }
            },
            "attendees":[

            ],
            "organizer":{
                "emailAddress":{
                    "name":"Samantha Booth",
                    "address":"samanthab@contoso.com"
                }
            },
            "id":"AAMkADj1HvAAA="
        }
    ]
}