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Woodsie Maggie
Inspiring
April 5, 2017
Answered

Find and replace date format InDesign CS6

  • April 5, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 3551 views

Hello, and thank you in advance for your help if you can.  I have formatting for date in a rather large document of 09/05/1936 and I would like it to read 05 September 1936.  I have read a lot about the text variables, and I have tried several things, but none of it seems to be working (likely my inability and not the programs). Could someone please explain to me how I can change the formatting of the date throughout the document?  I thought if I created a text variable for both dates perhaps through the text or Grep, I could choose them, but I am not able to even find the date format using that, I choose the ^D for the find, and it will not find anything. Is there a way to do this?

Thank you,

Maggie

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer loyal_operator154A

    Try this script and let me know if it works for you

    Dropbox - Change Date Format.jsx

    https://indesignsecrets.com/how-to-install-scripts-in-indesign.php

    2 replies

    A
    Anish Mathew_FOCP
    Participant
    January 27, 2024

    Hi i need a support in date format.  I have formatting for date in a rather large document of 09-Jan-1936 and I would like it to read 09 jan with our year

     

    loyal_operator154A
    loyal_operator154ACorrect answer
    Legend
    April 5, 2017

    Try this script and let me know if it works for you

    Dropbox - Change Date Format.jsx

    https://indesignsecrets.com/how-to-install-scripts-in-indesign.php

    W
    Woodsie MaggieAuthor
    Inspiring
    April 5, 2017

    Oleh.melnyk,

    Thank you for your response and interest in helping.  Upon running the script, it seemed to have changed all the dates to 05 September 1936.  That was the example I used, but there are a variety of dates within the document in that format.  I saw in your script that you had listed out all the months, so I am sure you didn't want it to do that.  I am not sure why it is replacing all the dates with that one.  Do you have any further advice?

    Again, thank you for your time and effort, it is much appreciated.

    Maggie

    loyal_operator154A
    loyal_operator154A
    Legend
    April 5, 2017

    strange, I tested it with multiple dates and it worked just fine...

    oh wait, did you just manually converted all dates in your document to text variables? O_o

    if so, then it's most likely you misunderstood something, because text variables are not for date formatting...

    you can convert ALL text variables back to plain text with this script - Dropbox - Convert All text variables to text.jsx

    then change date format with my previous script

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