Using a Macro to Insert a Custom Formatted Date

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, version 7.0

SUMMARY

This article describes how to write a macro that prompts you to enter a number of days from the current day and then inserts the resulting date in a custom format.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: ANY USE BY YOU OF THE CODE PROVIDED IN THIS ARTICLE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Microsoft provides this macro code "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.

1. From the Tools menu, choose Macro. Type a name for the new macro and choose the Create button.

2. In the macro editing window, enter the text below. (Sub MAIN and End Sub are already listed.)

   Word 7.0 --------

      Sub MAIN
       Defaultdate$=GetPrivateProfileString$(
        "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Micr soft\Word\7.0\Options","dateformat",
         "")
       SetPrivateProfileString(
        "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Word\7.0 Options", "dateformat",
        "MMMM d,yyyy", "")
       Days$ = InputBox$("Please enter the number of days from Today ")
       NumDays = Val(days$)
       serialEndDate = Now() + numDays
       EndDate$ = Date$(serialEndDate)
       Insert enddate$
       SetPrivateProfileString
        "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Word\7.0\Options", "dateformat",
        "defaultdate$", ""
      End Sub
   
      This macro prompts you to enter a number of days from today and then
      inserts the resulting dat in "MMMM d, yyyy"(December 31, 2000) format.
   
      Word 6.0
      --------
   
      Sub MAIN
       Defaultdate$ = GetPrivateProfileString$("microsoft word",
        "dateformat","winword6.ini")
       SetPrivateProfileString "microsoft word", "dateformat", "MMMM d,
        yyyy","winword6.ini"
       Days$ = InputBox$("Please enter the number of days from today")
       NumDays = Val(days$)
       SerialEndDate = Now() + numDays
       EndDate$ = Date$(serialEndDate)
       Insert enddate$
       SetPrivateProfileString "microsoft word", "dateformat", defaultdate$,
        "winword6.ini"
      End Sub
   
      This macro prompts you to enter a number of days from today and then
      inserts the resulting date in "MMMM d, yyyy"(December 31, 2000) format.
   
   

3. From the File menu, choose Close, and be sure to save the changes to the macro.

4. To run the macro, choose Macro from the Tools menu, select the macro name you assigned in step 1, and choose the Run button.

   Word 7.0
   --------

   Sub MAIN
    Defaultdate$ = GetPrivateProfileString$
     (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Word\7.0\Options", "dateformat",
     "")
    SetPrivateProfileString
     "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Word\7.0\Options", "dateformat",
      MMM d, yyyy", ""
    NumDays = 30
    SerialEndDate = Now() + NumDays
    EndDate$ = Date$(serialEndDate)
    Insert enddate$
    SetPrivateProfileString
     "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Word\7.0\Options", "dateformat",
      "defaultdate$", ""
   End Sub

Word 6.0

 Sub MAIN
  Defaultdate$ = GetPrivateProfileString$("microsoft word",
   "dateformat","winword6.ini")
  SetPrivateProfileString "microsoft word", "dateformat", "MMMM d,
   yyyy", "winword6.ini"
  NumDays = 30
  SerialEndDate = Now() + numDays
  EndDate$ = Date$(serialEndDate)
  Insert enddate$
  SetPrivateProfileString "microsoft word", "dateformat", defaultdate$,
   "winword6.ini"
 End Sub