Adobe Forms - Locale and date format

[Jelena]

I'm trying to figure out how the date formatting works in Adobe Forms. Our users in Canada are seeing the dates in 2 different formats on one Adobe form - some dates are in MM/DD/YY but some in DD/MM/YY. The default format in their user settings is MM/DD/YYYY and the same is configured for CA country in SPRO.

The fields in question have Date/Time type and Display Pattern = date.short{}, but it looks like Locale setting is making a difference in the date format. When it's set to Default, the date appears in DD/MM/YY, but with "Viewer's system locale" the format is MM/DD/YY.

Now what's funny - in the form's properties the default locale is... "Viewer's system locale". So the question is - why then there is a difference between "Viewer's system locale" and "Default" behavior in the date field? And what exactly is this "Viewer's system locale"? Where is the date format stored for it?

I've been trying to find an answer everywhere, but with no success so far.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

You can set the Date format to the required format in the form layout.

In the form layout goto object palette then to tab CELL and select the type as 'DATE' field.

In the 'FIELD FORMAT' give the required form of date you need.

In the 'Value' tab of the object palette specify the validation pattern with required format.

Thanks,

Praveena

Edited by: Praveena N on Aug 26, 2008 11:41 AM

[Jelena · Accepted solution]

>

>   In the form layout, go to OBJECT for the date field. There go to edit pattern, provide the date format which do u want.

>

> In the form layout goto object palette then to tab CELL and select the type as 'DATE' field.
> In the 'FIELD FORMAT' give the required form of date you need.

I know how to set the date format using a pattern, but this would make the format the same for every user. In a global company we have to accomodate the users in different countries, which may have different date formats and patterns. That's why the format cannot be hard-coded on the form, but has to be derived from the user's locale. Praveena, there is no such field as 'Field Format'. There is Display Pattern, Edit Pattern, etc. Not sure what you were talking about.

The locale settings work as follows. 'Viewer's system locale' seems to bring the US formatting (possibly because the system is owned and hosted in the US). 'Default locale' will use the settings for the user's locale (e.g. en_US for USA, en_CA for English Canada) from the form's XML code, not from what we see in the form's default locale (it seems).

In the XML code there were only entries for en_US and de_DE and no entry for Canada (en_CA). It is possible that default locale settings for all the countries (unless specified on the form) are driven by the Java engine or Adobe software. In some Java documents I found a mentioning that for en_CA the date format by default is DD/MM/YY. However, the users in Canada had MM/DD/YY format in their user profile (SU3). Some dates were transferred from the screen by the program and were pre-formatted according to the user's profile (MM/DD/YY), others were following the default for user's locale (en_CA - DD/MM/YY).

I've resolved this by copying the XML code fragment with locale defaults (<localeSet> tag) for en_US as en_CA. In this way the users in Canada will see all the dates in MM/DD/YY format while still keeping DD.MM.YY format for Germany.

[former_member186822 · Accepted solution]

We have the same problem in our system.

Anyone with a good answer here ?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Format the Date or other kind of data, such as currency, steps as sample below image:

[Jelena · Accepted solution]

Not sure why it was necessary to open a 6 year old post to add an option that has already been mentioned (and which, as I've explained, is not a solution). But I guess it's "mea culpa" - did not mark the question as resolved in timely manner.

Since there seems to be no better suggestion, marked my own reply as "correct". As mentioned, this was solved by an XML code change. If anyone has a better solution, please post it as a document.

Thanks.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Because saw Rolf Hoven still got the question at the end of this website. Thanks!

[former_member206592 · Accepted solution]

Hello Jelena,

Sorry, I am new to Adobe and needs to know whats exactly means by copying the XML code in your resolution .

My requirement is that the Adobe form  output should be displaying the date format exactly same format  whatever maintained in the user profile ( SU0 ) .

I choose the "Default Locale" under the pattern but  output format is rigid regardless of any change in the user profile format.

[Former Member]

Hi,

In the form layout, go to OBJECT for the date field. There go to edit pattern, provide the date format which do u want.

Hope it helps you.

Thanks.

[Former Member]

hi im sending date format in adobe please find that url.

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/c2567f2b-0b01-0010-b7b5-977cbf80...

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/com.sap.km.cm.docs/business_packages/a1-8-4/v...

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/d4fe7fca-0b01-0010-569a-9a9...

[Former Member]

Hi this is useful for u.

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/com.sap.km.cm.docs/business_packages/a1-8-4/v...

[former_member585060]

Hi,

Check this link

• Set form language and country (->form locale)

fp_docparams-langu = 'E'.

fp_docparams-country = 'CA'.

fp_docparams-FILLABLE = 'X'.

Regards

Bala Krishna

[Jelena]

Thanks for the link. My form is not fillable though, also locale is already being set correctly to CA and E for English. The problem is that I just don't understand why with these settings the form thinks that the date format should be DD/MM/YYYY.