Adding the date (and time) to a layout

Applies to: All programs

Adding the short date

The current system date can be added to a layout using a text box with the @date tag. This will insert the date onto the layout in the short date format. eg 25/05/06 assuming the short date is in the interntional dd/mm/yy format.

Adding the long date

On occasions the user may wish to insert the full, long date such as Thursday, 25th May 2006. To do this it will be necessary to change the short date format through control panel.

1. Go to Control Panel>Regional and language options
2. With your region selected click the Customize button
3. Select the Date tab
4. In the short date window enter the desired long date format eg dddd, d MMMM yyyy

Adding a future date

There may be occasions when the user may wish to insert a date that is a certain number of days from the current date. For example when printing proofs a photographer may wish for orders to be returned within three weeks. To print this date simply add the number of days in brackets immediately after the @date tag.

The generic tag is therefore:

@date(n) where n is the number of days into the future. To print a date three weeks from the time of printing the tag becomes @date(21).

Note the future date is calculated from the time the layouts are printed not the time the print queue is formed.

Adding the time to a layout

The current time can be added with the @time tag. A time in the future can be addedwith the @ime(n)tag where n is the number of seconds in the future.

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