using <$monthname> and other building blocks

[FieryPantone]

I probably ought to know this, but have never run into it before – I want to pull the month and year from the file timestamp for a not-too-fine-grain indication of when the file was last updated. A bit to my surprise, creating a user variable with <Default ¶ Font><$monthname><$year> doesn't work: it just inserts <$monthname<$year as a literal. Hints and tips welcome!

[TomSchenck]

I have always used the Modification Date (Long) system variable. Someone asked me last week to add "Revision Date" to the beginning. So I created a user variable this morning and copied the building block definition out of the Modification Date (Long) system variable and added the text in front. The building blocks do not render in a user variable. Looks like a bug, I think I can try this in FM12 if I can find my old machine.

[TomSchenck]

Same behavior in FM12. Maybe these building blocks are only for system variables. I just typed "Revision Date: " in the document.

[Arnis_Gubins]

The system variable building blocks do not work in user-defined variables - this has been an issue from day one. You can re-define your system variable(s) to use different combinations of the building blocks.

[TomSchenck]

Thanks Arnis!