Disabling auto update of fields

[Nick]

Probably an easy one, but please help...
I write a lot of letters and use the 'today's date' inserted field. My problem is when I open a letter at a later date, the date is automatically updated to today. This makes it difficult to track when the letter was written without going back into properties etc. Even when I manually change the date, it returns to today's date when I print. I want to disable the auto update permanently. How is it done?

Thanks. Nick

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Hi Nick,

You should use a { createdate } field instead.

In any of your existing documents, if you use Alt+F9 to toggle on the field
codes and change the { date } field to a { createdate } field and then
toggle off the field codes and use F9 to update the field, it will then show
the date on which the document was created.

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Please post any further questions or followup to the newsgroups for the
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Hope this helps
Doug Robbins - Word MVP
Probably an easy one, but please help...
I write a lot of letters and use the 'today's date' inserted field. My
problem is when I open a letter at a later date, the date is automatically
updated to today. This makes it difficult to track when the letter was
written without going back into properties etc. Even when I manually change
the date, it returns to today's date when I print. I want to disable the
auto update permanently. How is it done?

Thanks. Nick

 

[Nick]

Thank you very much. I would like to be able to disable the update
altogether, rather than manually each time. Is there a way to do this?

Nick

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

I think you must have misunderstood. What you should do is use a CreateDate
field in the first place. It will show the date on which the document was
created and will not be updated.

--
Please post any further questions or followup to the newsgroups for the
benefit of others who may be interested. Unsolicited questions forwarded
directly to me will only be answered on a paid consulting basis.

Hope this helps
Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Nick]

You are right - I had misunderstood, but I still can't find the way to do
what I want. When I click on 'insert date' (or go through the menus), the
field I get is DATE. I can change this to CREATEDATE when I use it, but I
can't find a way to insert CREATEDATE directly from the menu or toolbar. I'm
sure I'm missing something simple here, but I'm still perplexed!

Thanks for your patience.

Nick

 

[BK]

Nick

Instead of "insert date," you need to click on the "Insert" pull down menu
and select "field." If you choose the "date and time" category on the
left, then you will see the "createdate" field on the right.

Let me know if this helps ------------ Bonnie

 

[Graham Mayor]

And when you have done this save it as an autotext entry - see the end of
http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm for some practical ideas.
For a letter head insert the CREATEDATE field in the template.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><

 

[Charles Kenyon]

You are using a DATE or TIME field rather than a CREATEDATE field. This
field should be put in the original template if possible.

In the document in question, press Alt-F9 to display field codes. Then
change the field to a CREATEDATE field, press F9 and then Alt-F9.

See http://addbalance.com/word/datefields1.htm for information on the
different kinds of datefields and how to format them. There are also links
to Add-Ins that let you automatically insert this kind of field, either from
a toolbar or using a shortcut key.

--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome!
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from my ignorance and your wisdom.
Probably an easy one, but please help...
I write a lot of letters and use the 'today's date' inserted field. My
problem is when I open a letter at a later date, the date is automatically
updated to today. This makes it difficult to track when the letter was
written without going back into properties etc. Even when I manually change
the date, it returns to today's date when I print. I want to disable the
auto update permanently. How is it done?

Thanks. Nick

 

[Nick]

Thank you to all. I think I have it sorted out with your help.

Nick

 

[Guest]

I want to put a date at the top of a letter. How do you set up a
"createdate" field where the date would go? Thanks.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

One easy way is to use Insert | Date to insert the date in your preferred
format, checking the box for "Update automatically." Then press Alt+F9 to
reveal the field code and change DATE to CREATEDATE. Alt+F9 again to toggle
the display back, then F9 to update.

You can also use Insert | Field, adding the required formatting switches
through the dialog. And as you become more knowledgeable about date fields
(see http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/DateFields.htm) you can create
them from scratch by hand, pressing Ctrl+F9 to insert the field braces and
then typing the required text between them.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

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