How to reverse a date format

users
#1

This spread sheet has several columns of dates
written MM/DD/YYYY. I need to reverse it to
YYYY/MM/DD. This is what I came up with:

=MID(A17,FIND("/",A17)+4,1024)&"/"&IF(LEN(LEFT(A14,FIND("/",A14)-1))=1,LEFT(A14,FIND("/",A14)-2)&"0"&LEFT(A14,FIND("/",A14)-1))&"/"&MID(A17,FIND("/",A17)+1,2)

I created this using one column as my example
not realizing the other columns dates were
created at a later date and formatted differently.

The column I used the format was Number general.
Another column is Number -//1234 with a format
code of #"/"##"/"#### and another of Date
12/31/1999 format.

This formula will not work on the second and third
columns. Any suggestions how to adapt this or
other ideas?

#2

Wade Smart wrote

This spread sheet has several columns of dates
written MM/DD/YYYY. I need to reverse it to
YYYY/MM/DD...

You can not change the internal format of the dates.

If they are columns of Dates in an ODF spreadsheet they do not need to be
changed--actually can not be changed--rather you just need to change their
display format. Select the column, the Format -> Cells and in the dialog
select Date and a format you need. The YYYY-MM-DD is predefined. Or you can
add a format code to use an alternate separator.

If the file is CSV, set it as date during import and set the display format
needed.

#3

Well, that fixes one column.
Ill have to figure out the rest then.

Thanks for the information.

#4

This spread sheet has several columns of dates written MM/DD/YYYY. I need to reverse it to YYYY/MM/DD. This is what I came up with:
=MID(A17,FIND("/",A17)+4,1024)&"/"&IF(LEN(LEFT(A14,FIND("/",A14)-1))=1,LEFT(A14,FIND("/",A14)-2)&"0"&LEFT(A14,FIND("/",A14)-1))&"/"&MID(A17,FIND("/",A17)+1,2)

I'm guessing that you mean that this is for dates written as text, not proper spreadsheet dates as internal numbers formatted to show as you describe. I'd consider doing this a different way.
o Select the relevant column.
o Go to Data | Text to Columns... .
o Under Fields, click the column header.
o For Column type, select "Date (MDY)" (yes: really!).
o OK.
Your dates are now in internal numeric format and can be formatted as YYYY/MM/DD if you wish.

I created this using one column as my example not realizing the other columns dates were created at a later date and formatted differently. The column I used the format was Number general. Another column is Number -//1234 with a format code of #"/"##"/"#### ...

The above technique should work with these values, too.

... and another of Date 12/31/1999 format.

Leave those as they are.

You now have two obvious choices: either
o Leave your values as normal spreadsheet dates and format the relevant cells as YYYY/MM/DD to show as you wish, or
o Use a formula such as =TEXT(Xn;"YYYY/MM/DD") to derive an explicit text version of your values.

I trust this helps.

Brian Barker

#5

HA! That worked!
You way was much easier than that long formula I did :smiley:
Thanks for that. I very much appreciate it.

Wade