Is It Possible that DatePart does not work with dd-MMM-yy?

[KenHadley]

I am trying to write a date-format independent macro. The following code works with every date format that I set on Windows 7, with the exception of dd-MMM-yy. With that format set in the Regional Settings, the code blows up on DatePart with the message: "Bad Date Format in DatePart"

Code: Select all

GetDate>today
DatePart>today,D,strDay
mdl>strDay

[Dorian (MJT support)]

Hi Ken,

Is this question answered in your other thread?

http://www.mjtnet.com/forum/system-inde ... t7922.html

[KenHadley]

Hi Ken,

Is this question answered in your other thread?

http://www.mjtnet.com/forum/system-inde ... t7922.html

I don't think it is answered, but perhaps I am confused. If I take, Parsnipnose3000, your code from the other thread:

Code: Select all

//Use YYYY,MM,DD
datelocal>2013,12,31,EndScrapingAtThisDate
//See what it looks like
mdl>%EndScrapingAtThisDate%

then I will end up with EndScrapingAtThisDate containing the last day of 2013 in the "local" setting. That much is clear.

If that local setting, i.e., the Region date-format setting of the Windows 7 OS is set to dd-MMM-yy, then EndScrapingAtThisDate contains: 31-Dec-13. That is also clear.

But now, if I try to use DatePart on this variable, I get the error message I listed at the beginning of this thread.

If I use the exact same example above, but have previously set the Region date-format setting to something *other* than dd-MMM-yy, the code works fine.

So, it seems like DatePart does not work with the "local" setting of dd-MMM-yy. This is what I would like someone else to confirm.

Thank you,

Ken

[Marcus Tettmar]

I can confirm same results here. Notably that date format was not in my list of choices in Control Panel and I had to go to advanced settings to override it to get that date format.

DatePart should cope with all "standard" and common settings but it can't work with everything and I guess this is one of them.

[KenHadley]

I can confirm same results here. Notably that date format was not in my list of choices in Control Panel and I had to go to advanced settings to override it to get that date format.

DatePart should cope with all "standard" and common settings but it can't work with everything and I guess this is one of them.

Not sure what you mean, Marcus. There have always been seven different short date formats. You can set "Additional" formats, but this is not necessary for dd-MMM-yy, which is already there. Shouldn't DatePart work with all seven?

Ken

An example of the seven default ones can be seen in this screen shot:
http://acctgtech.wordpress.com/2011/06/ ... ay-format/

This article shows that these seven go back at least to Windows NT 4.0:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/241671

[Marcus Tettmar]

I can only report what I see. dd-MMM-yy wasn't an option for me.

DatePart is using Delphi functions - basically "inheriting" Delphi functionality. So I need to check with them - maybe it's a bug in Delphi - or maybe we can find a workaround. Hard to say at present as its 10.30pm here on a public holiday. I need to open up "the box" and look inside, but I'm nowhere near it right now. I've made a note to investigate.

[KenHadley]

I've made a note to investigate.

Thank you for looking at it further, Marcus. Oddly, I have always assumed this is the "normal" European format. My EU clients use this and claim "it is the only unambiguous date format to use for global applications," since the month is spelled out. Go figure.

Ken

[KenHadley]

Marcus,

I noticed that you have added new date formats to DatePart, etc. in the latest update.

I have to say that the service and response with your product is just excellent.

Thank you so much,

Ken