WordStar for Windows 2.0

WordStar for Windows 2.0 Y2K Advanced Insert Date as Text Program

Introduction

This article explains the functions provided by the advanced date insertion macro's dialog box.

This macro program provides enhanced ways to enter static text dates when compared to the WordStar for Windows 2.0 Insert | System Variables | Date... Insert Date as Text option. The macro program also corrects some of WordStar for Windows' Y2K problems. This aspect of the macro program is explained in article Q1029. Full release notes for the macro program as available in article Q1034.

The Date Insertion Dialog

The System Date Format section directly inserts the date in either short or long date format as selected by the two buttons. The date formats that will be used are illustrated below the buttons in the System Date Formats area of the dialog. When either button is clicked, the dialog will close and the date will be inserted in the selected format.

The Custom Date Format input box at the bottom left of the dialog allows you to type your own format. This is useful should you occasionally want to use a differing date format than that set for your PC; for example, when producing a document for a foreign customer.

The formatting for the date is entered using the codes shown in the right-hand part of the dialog under the title Custom Date Format Options. For example, dd MMM yy. Once the format has been entered, clicking the OK button closes the dialog box and inserts the date into the document using the formatting pattern specified.

Selecting the Ordinal (Legal) Dates option checkbox before clicking OK when a custom date format has been entered will automatically add the two letter ordinal suffix to the date; so a date of 1 Jan 2000, will be converted to read 1st Jan 2000, etc.

The Cancel button, or ESC key can be used to close the dialog box without entering the date.

Obtaining the Insert Date as Text Macro Program

The program can be downloaded using the link below:

date14.zip - Zip file (10Kb)

Installing the Insert Date as Text Program

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 reinstal wordStar for Windows.
   
   
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 WordStar for Windows macros directory (usually called C:\WSWIN\MACROS)
   
   
6. When you want to insert a date as text, run the Macro from the Marco | Run Macro... menu - or create a toolbutton or shortcut command to run it, see Q1035 and Q1036

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Copyright © 1999-2004 Michael Petrie, United Kingdom.

FAQ: Q1033

Q1027: WordStar for Windows 2.0 Y2K Corrected Template Macro (template.wmc)

Q1028: WordStar for Windows 2.0 Y2K patch for WSWIN.DLL

Q1029: WordStar for Windows 2.0 Correction to Insert Date as Text Error

Q1034: Y2K Advanced Insert Date as Text Program V1.4 Release Notes

Q1035: Assign a Macro to a Toolbutton

Q1036: Assign a Macro to a Keyboard Command

Download Y2K Date Insertion Program (10Kb)