WD97: How to Change the Default Date AutoComplete Format

ID: Q169967

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article describes how to change the format that the AutoComplete feature uses to complete a short or long date style.

MORE INFORMATION

After you type in the first four characters of the current long or short date, Microsoft Word 97 will automatically complete the date if you press ENTER or TAB.

The default format for a U.S. date is:

   Short date: m/d/yy
      For example: 6/1/97

   Long date: dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy
      For example: Sunday, June 01, 1997

To change the default date AutoComplete format, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. In the Control Panel, double-click the Regional Settings icon.

3. In the Regional Settings Properties dialog box, click the Date tab.

4. In the Short Date Style or Long Date Style box, type or select the date

   format you want to use.

5. Click Apply, and then click OK.

NOTE: If you type an invalid character in either the Short Date Style or the Long Date Style box, you will receive the following error message:

   One of more of the characters you typed for the Short Date (Long
   Date) style are invalid. Try typing different characters.

In this case, you will have to retype the date style from step 4.

For the new settings to take effect, you must quit and restart all instances of Word, (including WordMail).

The AutoComplete feature will now offer the new short or long date style when you type the first four characters of the current date.

NOTE: The following methods will NOT change the AutoComplete date format:

Changing the default date format by clicking the Insert menu, clicking Date and Time, and clicking the Default button.
Editing the Option key in the registry, and adding a setting for the DateFormat.

For additional information about changing the default date field in Word, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q134910
   TITLE     : WD: How to Set a Default DATE Field Format in Word

REFERENCES

For more information about the AutoComplete feature, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE ID: Q168101
   TITLE     : WD97: AutoComplete Suggests Incorrect Date

   ARTICLE ID: Q159941
   TITLE     : WD97: General Information about "Auto" Features in Word 97

   ARTICLE ID: Q157478
   TITLE     : WD97: What's New in Word 97

For more information about the AutoComplete feature click the Office Assistant, type "AutoComplete" (without the quotation marks), click Search, and then click to view the "What types of automatic changes does Word make?" topic.

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Word Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q120802
   TITLE     : Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office
               Program or Component

Additional query words: word97 word8 8.0 8.0

Keywords          : kbautotext 
Version           : 97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: December 18, 1998