Formatting date fields

  • Thread starter Thread starter BobC
  • Start date Start date
B

BobC

I could not seem to find the format syntax.
I want to format a date field to display '------' when there is no date
to print in a record.
Can this be done?
 
If no-one has a better suggestion then you can create a second field in your
query with iif(IsNull(MyDate),Format(MyDate,"dd/mm/yy"),"----"). Show this
field for display purposes and keep the real field for sorting and
calculations.
Evi
 
Actually, the Format property allows for up to 4 different formats to be
specified (one for positive values, one for negative values, one for values
of zero and one for values of Null). Since "no date" must correspond to a
Null value, try the following Format:

yyyy\-mm\-dd;;;\-\-\-\-

(yes, there are three semi-colons in a row there)
 
A neat approach!
Thanks!
Bob
If no-one has a better suggestion then you can create a second field in your
query with iif(IsNull(MyDate),Format(MyDate,"dd/mm/yy"),"----"). Show this
field for display purposes and keep the real field for sorting and
calculations.
Evi
Click to expand...
 
Use Douglas's suggestion, it will be better. It won't change your date field
into text.
Evi
 
Doug, what do the \ between the dashes do?
Evi

Douglas J. Steele said:
Actually, the Format property allows for up to 4 different formats to be
specified (one for positive values, one for negative values, one for values
of zero and one for values of Null). Since "no date" must correspond to a
Null value, try the following Format:

yyyy\-mm\-dd;;;\-\-\-\-

(yes, there are three semi-colons in a row there)
Click to expand...
 
\ is an escape character. It means that whatever follows is printed
literally.

In the case of yyyy\-mm\-dd, if you were to put yyyy-mm-dd, you'd actually
get whatever was defined as the date separator character in Regional
Settings in place of the -. For the last bit, it simply means you get ----.
 
Thanks Doug. That's great.
Evi

Douglas J. Steele said:
\ is an escape character. It means that whatever follows is printed
literally.

In the case of yyyy\-mm\-dd, if you were to put yyyy-mm-dd, you'd actually
get whatever was defined as the date separator character in Regional
Settings in place of the -. For the last bit, it simply means you get ----.
Click to expand...
 
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