Recording macros for date

dndrich · Operator Joined: Jan 03, 2007 Posts: 43

OK, I am trying to record a macro in Writer, since I am not a coding type. Here is what I am doing:

I start record macro. I then enter "control-F2" to open insert field. I click on date (fixed), I then click on the format I want, insert, close. I then stop the macro recording, name and save it. When I run it, it fails and errors out. Why?

Daniel

Lorinda · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:01 pm Post subject:

What is the exact messge of the error?

I just tried to replicate your process, and it works fine for me. The only thing I know I did different is that I had to click on the "Document" tab in the Insert Fields window to get to Date(fixed).

What version and patch are you at with NeoOffice? (i.e., I use NeoOffice 2.1, patch 7).

What Mac OS are you using? PPC or Intel?

dndrich · Operator Joined: Jan 03, 2007 Posts: 43

I am running NeoOffice 2.1 with patch 7. If I record the macro as described, it works fine in that document. But when I close the document, open a new document, and try the macro, it returns a number, not the date. The number looks like it must be the computer value for the date. It is 39275.34. Now, interestingly, when I try to cut and paste that field number into this post, here is what happens:

Thursday, July 12, 2007

So, it returns the correct format in this post, but not in the document!

Daniel

sardisson · Town Crier Joined: Feb 01, 2004 Posts: 4588

Is there any way to format the field as a date (like you do in Calc to turn that number into a date automatically)?

Smokey

jgd · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:44 am Post subject:

Lorinda · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:06 am Post subject:

The problem is that the field is already set to Date and a particular format...it just doesn't show up this way. (I'm seeing the same effect).

I'm wondering if it is related to OpenOffice.org issue 78816.

That bug (which I reported) involves using Input Fields related to User fields formatted as dates, but the effects are very similar.

There is a partial work around, though. You can go to Tools>Customize>Keyboard and assign a keyboard shortcut for Insert>Date. That will insert a fixed date. Not sure if it will be in the format you want, but you can always right click on control click on the field, choose "fields..." from the contextual menu, and shift the formatting.

Lorinda

dndrich · Operator Joined: Jan 03, 2007 Posts: 43

Interesting. Well, the idea was to have a simple macro to just put in the correct format. Oh, well. I'll just live with this little problem!

Thanks!

Daniel