Date Format - Newbie ?

[MB]

I have a database where the date input mask is
99/99/00';;_ resulting in 11/01/2003 (for example). I've
just been asked to use my database to create
certificates. No problem merging with Word; however, the
date should be in long form (November 01, 2003 for
example).

How do I change the format on all exisiting dates? I
cannot figure out the input mask. Also, does the input
mask go in the table or the query?

Thank you for your help.

MB

 

[John Vinson]

I have a database where the date input mask is
99/99/00';;_ resulting in 11/01/2003 (for example). I've
just been asked to use my database to create
certificates. No problem merging with Word; however, the
date should be in long form (November 01, 2003 for
example).

How do I change the format on all exisiting dates? I
cannot figure out the input mask. Also, does the input
mask go in the table or the query?

Regardless of the input mask or the format, a Date value is stored
just as a number - a count of days and fractions of a day since
midnight, December 30, 1899. The format is NOT stored with the date;
you can have the same date formatted many different ways in your
database.

For a Word mailmerge, I'd suggest creating a Query based on your
table. In a vacant field cell in your query, type

Format([your date field name here], "mmmm dd, yyyy")

to explicitly convert the date/time value to a text string in the
requested long format. Base your Word mailmerge on this query, not
directly on the table.

 

[Fredg]

I have a database where the date input mask is
99/99/00';;_ resulting in 11/01/2003 (for example). I've
just been asked to use my database to create
certificates. No problem merging with Word; however, the
date should be in long form (November 01, 2003 for
example).

How do I change the format on all exisiting dates? I
cannot figure out the input mask. Also, does the input
mask go in the table or the query?

Thank you for your help.

MB

Regardless of how a date is input, or displayed, it is stored as a
number. Today is 37944.
An Input Mask only helps in entering the data in a specific way. It does
not change the actual data. Also, as written, your mask is NOT being
saved with the data anyway.

If you are using a query, and want to display the date as November 01,
2003, write...

SomeDate:Format([AnyDate],"mmmm dd, yyyy")

in a new column. Use this [SomeDate] field to merge with Word, not
[AnyDate].