Problems Using Non-US Date Format

[MsfStl]

Hi,

I am creating a data entry program for data being collected from Bangalore, India. My problem is the date formats in India are "DD/MM/YYYY" as opposed to the US format of "MM/DD/YYYY". When I apply the dd/mm/yyyy format to my table design and also to the text box on the form, the format works except for say May 2, 2006, which would be entered as 02/05/2006. As soon as I move to another control Access flips the days and months to 05/02/2006. If I modify the format to dd/mmm/yyyy Access tells me the date is 05/Feb/2006. How can I get Access to stop 'helping' me and only take the data as it is entered and formatted, short of splitting the date fields.

Sidebar-Personally, I always feel that dates should be entered with a three character month, because of confusion that can be generated when using strictly two digit days and two digit months when both values are 12 or less.

 

[Dennisk]

Access is using the International Date Format specified in Windows

 

[Bat17]

I use the "DD/MM/YYYY" format in the UK and have no problems with it apart from SQL which is not internationaly aware.

Re your side bar, you can use a Mask in the control to force the users to use "DD/MMM/YYYY"

HTH

Peter

 

[MsfStl]

Thanks for your reply.
Again this issue, flipping the inputted date, is for those dates, only, where the day value is 12 or less. Otherwise, the date data is fine.
I have the input mask set as you specified, however, it still flips those dates. One note, when looking at the data in the table, in datasheet style, it shows the values as the flipped date, but when I move to and highlight the specified data field the underlying data is correct, in otherwords the data is being held in the way it was typed. That just creates more confusion. Therefore, since I cannot seem to find anything that works for me, I will split the date into three seperate fields and then programatically rebuild the date to my specifications. At least that way I know Access is doing what I want Access to do, not what Access thinks I want it to do.

 

[neileg]

Like Peter, I don't have any problems with UK dates. You must have the date format in Windows set to UK for the default in Access to be UK. Somtimes I have wondered if you change the date format in Windows whether this transfers to all parts of existing installations of Office components, or whether the setting in force at the time on installation 'hangs on'.

 

[MsfStl]

You bring up a good point, but I don't want to run the risk of creating a bigger problem to solve this one. Also, because most of the programs I build are for research in the US and I am in the US I have the date format in Windows set to US. I just want to override those settings for this program. But, I am wasting more time than necessary, so, I am just creating three list boxes with the appropriate values and then go from there, that way I have no questions.

 

[GaryPanic]

coming in on the end of this -- it is the windows default setting that it is looking at - for sure

change these and it will right itself- however will cause chaos for the rest of your apps espically if you do USA design work

 

[MsfStl]

Yeah, I'm not even going near changing my system settings for one date value in a data entry form.

 

[RuralGuy]

So far I've always used a Calendar to input dates. Jeff Conrad has collected a ton of links for them. Calendar Links