Adding a Google Calendar to Rainmeter

Past Rainmeter installers came with the Enigma theme, which has a skin that shows you Google Calendar events. The current Rainmeter version as of December 2013 -- 3.0.2 only has the Illistro theme and lacks a Google Calendar skin. The Rainmeter site offers a free download of the Enigma theme so you can add a Google Calendar skin to your desktop regardless of your active Rainmeter theme.

Go to the Google Calendar website (see Resources). Enter your Google account details if asked and click the "Sign In" button.

Hover your cursor over the calendar you wish to add to Rainmeter under the My Calendars section on the sidebar. Click the small arrow icon next to the calendar to bring up a pop-up menu. Click "Calendar Settings."

Scroll down and right-click the "XML" button next to Private Address. Click "Copy Shortcut" or "Copy Link Address" to copy the unique address of your Google Calender to the clipboard.

Download the Enigma Suite installer (see Resources) and launch it. Untick the "Apply included layout" check box and click the "Install" button to add the Enigma Suite to Rainmeter.

Right-click the Rainmeter icon next to the clock on your taskbar and go to "Skins" followed by "Enigma" and "Options." Click "Options.ini" to launch the Enigma options.

Click the "Book" icon in the Enigma options window. Paste the Google Calendar address you copied earlier in to the "1st Calendar" field. Press the "Enter" key on your keyboard to apply the settings. Close the Enigma options window.

Right-click the Rainmeter icon on your taskbar again and go to "Skins," "Enigma," "Sidebar," "Reader" and finally "Gcal." Click "Gcal.ini" to add the Google Calendar.