Change ical defaults

Question

Whenever I set up a new meeting in ical, it defaults to "all day" and sets up an alert for 1370 minutes before.
I looked in "Preferences" and can't find where these defaults are set up.  Worse, if I try to change the alert to, say 30 minutes before and then click "Done" it is not saved and reverts back to 1370 minutes.  I can clear the "All day" box and set the start/end times OK.
Can  anyone tell me where these defaults are set up and how to change them?
Walt

Answer 1

restonstu,
Click Add at the top of the iCal window or press Command (⌘)-N.Events are added automatically to your default calendar.
If you want to choose a different calendar for the event, hold down the Add button (+), and then choose a calendar.
To change your default calendar, choose iCal > Preferences, click General, and then select a calendar from the Default Calendar pop-up menu.
Enter a name, date, and time duration for the event, and then press Return.For example, you can enter “Super Bowl Party Feb 6,” “Movie with Rebecca on Friday at 7pm,” “Soccer Game on Saturday from 11am-1pm,” or “Breakfast with Jon,” and then press Return.
If you don’t enter a time duration for the event, iCal sets the event’s duration to 1 hour.
If you don’t enter any time information for the event, iCal makes the event an all-day event.
If you enter “breakfast” or “morning,” iCal sets the event to start at 9 a.m.
If you enter “lunch “ or “noon,” iCal sets the event to start at 12 p.m.
If you enter “dinner” or “night,” iCal sets the event to start at 8 p.m.
To set any other event options (for example, to set your event to repeat, add an alert, or invite others to the event), make your changes in the event’s editor, and then click Done.
Also read this ASC topic.