However, these solutions do not preserve the intent of the originating application. When a CSV and TDF format is used by a PIM, the meta-data or semantics of the originating object are only apparent to a similar version of the originating application. The reliability and complexity of the exchange of data between PIM and calendaring and scheduling applications is greatly improved by the adoption of an industry-standard specification for a calendaring and scheduling interchange format, such as the vCalendar specification. IMC is encouraged by the growing number of leading PIM, calendaring and scheduling, and electronic messaging vendors that have already indicated their intent to support the vCalendar specification. When integrating vCalendar support into an application, an implementor must consider a number of user interface implications.
Most applications provide some levels of support for interacting with other applications.
This is usually accomplished in three ways. The full potential of the vCalendar technology can be better utilized by an application that supports the vCalendar specification in each of these user interface forms. Applications integrating support for the vCalendar specification will provide support for importing and exporting vCalendar objects from the operating system's file system. In operating systems that support file types, this means that a standard file type can be used to distinguish the vCalendar objects. Applications will use the file system capabilities to support the FileOpen and FileSaveAs, or their equivalent function, of a vCalendar object in much the same way that graphics application today use a metafile format to import and export computer graphics objects.