Custom Date Settings...Inconcistencies

[Orbital Shark]

This thread has led me to do some preliminary research into how Windows uses the 'Date' formats available.

   Tip

To access custom date formats go to Control Panel -> Clock, Language, and Region -> Region and Language and click 'Additional Settings...'

Using 'Custom' date formats seems to result in an abnormality with the way applications read the current system date. I've included a couple of examples below...

1 prime example is if you wish to have a more detailed Date on the taskbar which included the day you'd set the following custom date format "ddd dd/mm/yyyy"..



However...The space between the "ddd" and "dd" causes the following abnormalities.

Task Scheduler - Notice the date now has spaces instead of "/"


Same happens in Excel when formatting cells


I also changed them back so as to demonstrate how the default settings work perfectly well.



Task Scheduler - Back to normal


Excel - Back to normal


So as a warning to all who like to use 'Custom' date formats, please be aware that it will alter the way Windows & other apps read the current system date depending on what you've changed & how.


OS

 

[kronckew]

i've found the system format uses whatever the char. is after the initial ddd as the seperator, if you use

ddd dd/mm/yyyy you get Mon 08 11 2010
ddd, dd/mm/yyyy you get Mon, 08,11,2010

dddd dd/mm/yyyy similarly gives Monday 08 11 2010
dddd, dd/mm/yyyy gives Monday, 08,11,2010

unfortunately ddd/ .... gives Mon/ 08/11/2010.

this messes up the cell formatting, etc in MS office (excel). using a custom format of 'ddd dd/mm/yyyy' rather than a date format works however.

 

[eMorgana]

Just wondering whether a solution has been found for this problem???

I know I'm a bit late to the discussion, but I only got round to searching for a solution today. This has been driving me nuts for ages!!

As I'm a shift worker, working all hours of the day or night, I frequently find myself in the predicament of knowing the DATE (coz I see it hundreds of times in the course of my shift)... but not the DAY. Hence I want the DAY displayed in the taskbar.

However, my Excel then loses its slashes.

I've tried adding a 'custom' date setting to Excel to get the slashes back, and it works for that instance. However, next time you open the worksheet, the dates are back to space separators, and the 'custom' setting is gone!! So I have to redo everything each time I open an Excel spreadsheet.