Question Date Format

[Raj2010]

Hi there,

i have a line in my code like this : message string(article.Date) view-as alert-box information.

The message shows : 01/15/2014 ( that is mm/dd/yyyy)

I want to have this format : 01-15-2014 ( Can I change format in Parameter file so that it will reflect in all the reports?)

Could any one please let me know if any option where I can modify parameter file to change date format Please??

Thanxs !!!

Raj

 

[RealHeavyDude]

You can't. AFAIK there is no paramter that controls the date separator. The separator is defined in the format phrase of the field/variable. But when you use the date field like that in a message statement it will automatically be converted into a string always using / as separator.

You can try:

define variable dummy as date no-undo format "99-99-9999" initial today.
message dummy skip string ( dummy, "99-99-9999" ) view-as alert-box.

Heavy Regards, RealHeavyDude.

 

[LarryD]

Or optionally you can do this:

message replace(string(article.Date),"/","-")  view-as alert-box information.

 

[Stefan]

It's actually the format that is ignored - use '99/99/9999' as format and the date will still be shown as '99/99/99' - which is where the replace 'option' trips over itself too.

Alternatively, (just found this in the docs - and really, you do not want to do this):

define variable dummy as date no-undo format "99-99-9999" initial today.

message 
   "today is"
   update dummy 
   .

And then cross your fingers that the user does not actually change the date. ;-)

 

[LarryD]

Stefan,

The replace method does work for date display with dashes as in the message view-as as I posted above (at least it does for me on 10.2B Linux). To try and update on the other hand is a different animal and I agree that the ABL does not handle alternate formats for the var defined as date without some mucking about.

 

[Stefan]

def var dt as date initial today.

message
   string( dt, "99-99-9999" ) skip
   replace( string( dt ), "/", "-" )
view-as alert-box.

returns (on windows and linux):

---------------------------
Message
---------------------------
11-17-2014 
11-17-14
---------------------------
OK  
---------------------------

14 <> 2014

 

[LarryD]

Okay, I stand corrected on the year given that the default format for date is 99/99/99 . Doh!