Date format macro.

users
#1

I'd like to create a macro for a user-defined date format (H:MMa/p). As
examples, 7:00 AM would display as 7:00a and 3:33 PM as 3:33p. I can
create the format manually, but I understand the LibreOffice format
can't save user-defined formats. So my thought is to create a macro
which creates the format each time the spreadsheet is opened. The
user-defined Format Code is for a saved Style.

The macro records without incident and the date format is correct.
However, running the saved macro doesn't change the format. It seems
this should work. Thoughts? The recorded macro is as follows:

sub FormatTime
rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
rem define variables
dim document as object
dim dispatcher as object
rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
rem get access to the document
document = ThisComponent.CurrentController.Frame
dispatcher = createUnoService("com.sun.star.frame.DispatchHelper")

rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
dim args1(0) as new com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue
args1(0).Name = "ToPoint"
args1(0).Value = "$D$13"

dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:GoToCell", "", 0, args1())

rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
dim args2(0) as new com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue
args2(0).Name = "DesignerDialog"
args2(0).Value = true

dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:DesignerDialog", "", 0, args2())

rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
rem dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:EditStyle", "", 0, Array())

rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
dim args4(0) as new com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue
args4(0).Name = "DesignerDialog"
args4(0).Value = false

dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:DesignerDialog", "", 0, args4())

end sub

#2

Sorry I can't help with your macro, but I like your idea.
An alternative approach I use, is to add my user defined date format to
my Calc default template.

Dave

#3

but I understand the LibreOffice format

can't save user-defined formats.

The entire suite is about customization rather than programming. Templates and styles provide most of the productivity features. Macros (particularly recorded ones) are a total waste of time.

#4

Thank you for responding; I admire your style. I manually changed the date format of my spreadsheet, saved , then coded it as the default template. The default template took, but unfortunately, again the user-defined date format wasn't saved.

Do I understand you can save a user-defined date format in the default template and it takes? I'm sure a macro would work and I can wade through the code, but if there's an easier way I'm interested.

#5

rhubarbpieguy wrote

I'd like to create a macro for a user-defined date format (H:MMa/p). As
examples, 7:00 AM would display as 7:00a and 3:33 PM as 3:33p. I can
create the format manually, but I understand the LibreOffice format
can't save user-defined formats. So my thought is to create a macro
which creates the format each time the spreadsheet is opened. The
user-defined Format Code is for a saved Style.

Since this is a limitation of the ODF file format and that modifying the
default template only applies to your PC (correct me if I'm wrong) wouldn't
it make more sense to simply save it as XLS?

I tested with your example and the user-defined time format is saved...

#6

From: rhubarbpieguy@gmail.com
To: users@global.libreoffice.org
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:48:53 -0500

I'd like to create a macro for a user-defined date format (H:MMa/p). As
examples, 7:00 AM would display as 7:00a and 3:33 PM as 3:33p. I can
create the format manually, but I understand the LibreOffice format
can't save user-defined formats. So my thought is to create a macro
which creates the format each time the spreadsheet is opened. The
user-defined Format Code is for a saved Style.

The macro records without incident and the date format is correct.
However, running the saved macro doesn't change the format. It seems
this should work. Thoughts? The recorded macro is as follows:

8<-- code snip for brevity -->8

Sorry I can't help with your macro, but I like your idea.
An alternative approach I use, is to add my user defined date format to
my Calc default template.

Dave

Thank you for responding; I admire your style. I manually changed the
date format of my spreadsheet, saved , then coded it as the default
template. The default template took, but unfortunately, again the
user-defined date format wasn't saved.

Do I understand you can save a user-defined date format in the default
template and it takes? I'm sure a macro would work and I can wade
through the code, but if there's an easier way I'm interested.

I am not sure what you mean by "coded it as the default template".
If you follow this procedure:
http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1161
the ".ots" (Calc template) file will include your date format, as would
be the case for any ODF file.
I am sending you (off-list) an example template which has a DD.MM.YYYY
date format, which is not included in standard list of date formats.
Open it and you will find 31.12.1999 at the end of the Format => Date ->
Category format list.

HTH

Dave

#7

rhubarbpieguy wrote

Thank you for responding; I admire your style. I manually changed the
date format of my spreadsheet, saved , then coded it as the default
template. The default template took, but unfortunately, again the
user-defined date format wasn't saved.

That would be a severe bug. My default template (including number formats
for many purposes) works as it used to work since OOo 2.

#8

Yes, XLS will save the format, but my macros don't carry over.

#9

Your "apples & oranges" analogy is correct. I was misled by your
original reference to "Date" format and although you spelled it out
quite clearly I overlooked the fact that your issue was with "Time" format.

I have now done some testing on this issue, with the following results:
* Saving from LO in ODF (".ods" or ".ots") format does not preserve the
user defined time format you want. (As you have already established.)
* Saving from LO in Excel (".xls") format and reopening it LO does
preserve the format. (As suggested by Pedro in another post to this thread.)

It may or may not be of importance to you, but opening the files saved
from LO and opening them in Excel 2010 I found:
* XLS File: Partially preserves the time format (ie. H:MM), but the
lower case p/m is becomes upper case P/M. The user defined cells are
"locked" (MS terminology) and "unlocking" them the format changes to
whatever MS deems to be appropriate.
* ODF File: Generates an error, which Excel generously offers to fix,
with the same result as for unlocking the cells in the XLS file.

Unless someone with a better knowledge of Star Basic than myself can
offer a solution to your macro problem, I suggest you file a bug/RFE
issue. https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/bug/

Dave

#10

I understand your confusion as I should have titled the post "Time format macro." Sloppy labeling on my part.

I have reported this as Bug 50923. That's why I believed it was/is an .ods limitation and thought of the macro solution. Your suggestion of a template piqued my interested as I thought (possibly) a .odt file might be different. I'd always assumed the file format identical except a .odt extension saved the file to the template directory, but it was worth a try.

I still think the macro solution is the best. I'll bite the bullet and do some research as the macro recorder doesn't work. I do again thank you for your interest and help.

#11

There is a document called AndrewMacro.pdf (and there is an ODF
version too, called AndrewMacro.odt) somewhere. There are a lot of
explaining and a lot of examples, and I think date format examples are
included as well. However, I couldn't find it for download. I found
this page (http://www.pitonyak.org/oo.php/), but clicking on the links
only took me back to the page, and forcing download only downloaded an
18.3 kB document in HTML format…

Maybe someone else have a better link.

Here's the date format paragraph anyway (I removed a comment
containing the authors email address, just in case), might be of some
kind of help:
7.7. Fields
7.7.1. Insert a formatted date field into a Write document
This will insert the text “Today is <date> ” where the date is
formatted as “DD. MMM YYYY”. This will create the date format if it
does not exist. For more information on valid formats, see the help
contents on topic “number formats; formats”.
Listing 7.31: Insert a formatted date field into a Write document.
'Author: Andrew Pitonyak
'uses: FindCreateNumberFormatStyle
Sub InsertDateField
  Dim oDoc As Object
  Dim oText As Object
  Dim oVCurs As Object
  Dim oTCurs As Object
  Dim oDateTime As Object

  oDoc = ThisComponent
  If oDoc.SupportsService("com.sun.star.text.TextDocument") Then
    oText = oDoc.Text
    oVCurs = oDoc.CurrentController.getViewCursor()
    oTCurs = oText.createTextCursorByRange(oVCurs.getStart())
    oText.insertString(oTCurs, "Today is ", FALSE)
    ' Create the DateTime type.
    ODateTime = oDoc.createInstance("com.sun.star.text.TextField.DateTime")
    oDateTime.IsFixed = TRUE
    oDateTime.NumberFormat = FindCreateNumberFormatStyle(_
      "DD. MMMM YYYY", oDoc)

    oText.insertTextContent(oTCurs,oDateTime,FALSE)
    oText.insertString(oTCurs," ",FALSE) Else
    MsgBox "Sorry, this macro requires a TextDocument"
  End If
End Sub

Kind regards

Johnny Rosenberg
ジョニー・ローゼンバーグ

#12

Hello,

The issue is a known one (AOO bug #66842). The office seems to support some format codes that have no equivalent expression in the ODF standard.
It has been discussed in a productive manner here:
http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=53724
http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=55344

I attached simple Basic macro to a demo document:
http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/download/file.php?id=14598

It links number formats to cell styles so the newly generated number formats applies to all the cells where the style is in use.

Hope this helps,
A.S.

#13

Thank you! That's a very good solution which I'll use - problem solved. I also thank Johnny Rosenberg for his suggestion.

#14

On 07/27/12 05:14, Andreas Säger wrote:

Am 19.07.2012 23:48, rhubarbpieguy@gmail.com wrote:

I'd like to create a macro for a user-defined date format (H:MMa/p). As
examples, 7:00 AM would display as 7:00a and 3:33 PM as 3:33p. I can
create the format manually, but I understand the LibreOffice format
can't save user-defined formats. So my thought is to create a macro
which creates the format each time the spreadsheet is opened. The
user-defined Format Code is for a saved Style.

The macro records without incident and the date format is correct.
However, running the saved macro doesn't change the format. It seems
this should work. Thoughts? The recorded macro is as follows:

Hello,

The issue is a known one (AOO bug #66842). The office seems to support some format codes that have no equivalent expression in the ODF standard.
It has been discussed in a productive manner here:
http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=53724
http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=55344

I attached simple Basic macro to a demo document:
http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/download/file.php?id=14598

It links number formats to cell styles so the newly generated number formats applies to all the cells where the style is in use.

Hope this helps,
A.S.

I'm uncertain of the proper method of labeling this as solved. But, for my purposes it is and as I began the thread, perhaps [Solved] is appropriate.