Xoom Word Pro for Windows 1.0 Y2K Correction to Insert Date as Text Error

Introduction

Xoom Word Pro for Windows 1.0 is not Y2K compliant and will incorrectly display dates in the 21st century as being in the 20th. Additionally, it will omit the leading zero of dates displayed using just two digits until 2010.

Description of Y2K Problems

  • When using the Insert | System Variables | Date mail merge variable the year part of the date will be inserted (invisibly) as 19xx instead of the correct 20xx.

  • When using the Insert | System Variables | Date as Text function the year part of the date will be inserted as:

    • 19xx if the system date format is set for four-digit year numbers for the date format selected for insertion (long or short date format).

    • _x in 'short date format' (where _ is a space) if the system date format is set for two-digit year numbers and the year is between 2000 and 2010.

    • x in 'long date format' if the system date format is set for two-digit year numbers and the year is between 2000 and 2010, i.e., the leading zero from the year number will be missing.

Solution

These errors can be corrected for systems set to use four-digit year numbers by applying a patch to the xmwin.dll file, see Q1031.

For systems set to use two-digit year numbers that will be inserted as text only (not used as mail merge variables) a further solution is to use a macro program to correct the inserted date text.

A Macro Program to Correct Insert Date as Text Y2K Error can be downloaded using the following link date14.zip - Zip file (10Kb).

Macro Program Details

This program overcomes the date insertion problems by inserting the date as fixed text using the formatting set in the Windows Control Panel's Regional Settings. The program cannot insert or correct for the Xoom Word Pro for Windows 1.0 problem of date merge variables which suffer the same Y2K problems outlined above.

The program gives several options:

  1. Insert date immediately in short format
  2. Insert date immediately in long format
  3. Ask user which format to use

    In options 1 and 2 the formatting for the date is taken
    from the Windows Control Panel Regional Settings.

Additional Program features

The program also allows the date to be corrected for system dates that haven't 'rolled over' correctly. This is done by checking for year values of less than 80 and assuming that these should be 20xx. Year values of 80 or greater are assumed to be 19xx. This rollover threshold can be changed if desired.

It also allows day names in date format, on-line overriding of system date formats, and auto-insertion of ordinal (legal) day number suffixes, st, nd, rd, and th.

Ordinal dates can be set as the default long date format. Ordinal dates are only available for day numbers displayed as 1-31. If a date format of 01-31 is chosen the ordinal date suffix is automatically suppressed.

The system date format override option allows run-time entry of a date format picture (e.g., "d, MMM, yyyy"). The program also allows a default 'third' date format to be pre-set should you normally use one format in addition to the system long and short date formats set in the Windows Control Panel International Settings dialog.

For a screen shot and full explanation of the date insertion dialog see Q1033

Installing the Y2K Insert Date as Text Program V1.4

  1. Download the zipped macro file using the link above. If you're using Netscape 4 it will try to open the file as text, so right-click the link and select Save Link As...

  2. Once you've saved the file to your hard disk, make a backup of it copy it in case you ever need to reinstall Xoom Word Pro for Windows 1.0.

  3. Unzip the downloaded file - the Zip archive contains two files:

    1. date.wmc - the actual program

    2. date14.txt - instructions and information, see Q1034

  4. Read the date14.txt file for full details about the macro program.

  5. Copy the date.wmc file into your Xoom Word Pro for Windows macros directory (usually called C:\XOOM\XOOMWORD\MACROS)

  6. Rename the file from date14.wmc to date14.xmc.

  7. When you want to insert a date as text, run the Macro from the Tools | Macro | Run Macro... menu - or create a tool button or shortcut command to run it, see Q1035 and Q1036.

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