ISO date format for SYSTEM context

[Tim Munro]

Hi all,

Does anyone know how to set the SYSTEM context to use the ISO date and
time format? (yyyy/mm/dd HH:mm:ss) We have standardized on this because
Canadian and American date formats can be ambiguous.

EG:
02/03/04 Is this Feb 3rd, 2004(US - mm/dd/yy) or March 2nd
2004(CDN - dd/mm/yy)

Whereas 2004/02/03 is clearly Feb 3rd 2004. (yyyy/mm/dd)

As for the time we simply prefer 24 hour clocks.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Phil]

You can change it for the short date format.
Control panel, regional and language options, customize, date tab, under
short date format choose: yyyy-mm-dd

 

[Tim Munro]

Yes, that works fine for the current USER context. I need to change the
SYSTEM context (for services running as SYSTEM).

 

[Phil]

Sorry that's the only setting I know of that controls that. Sorry couldn't
help more.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Does anyone know how to set the SYSTEM context to use the ISO date and
time format? (yyyy/mm/dd HH:mm:ss) We have standardized on this because
Canadian and American date formats can be ambiguous.

At Regional and language options; click Customise - Date page and select
the format from the drop-down in Short date; enter the format by typing
yyyy MMMM dd in Long date. Time specification on the Time page

 

[Tim Munro]

Won't this just change the format for the CURRENT user? I need to change
it for the SYSTEM context. (for services that run under SYSTEM) I know where
all the registry entries are and their values for true USERS, but can't find
anything for SYSTEM.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Won't this just change the format for the CURRENT user? I need to change
it for the SYSTEM context. (for services that run under SYSTEM) I know where
all the registry entries are and their values for true USERS, but can't find
anything for SYSTEM.

It should change it for anything done when that user is logged in
(except perhaps by errant programs that pay no attention and you can do
nothing for them).

The values get stored in the registry at
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International
as values of sLongdate and sShortdate and sTimeFormat (with a lot of
other settings).
You could after setting up, export that key and then arrange to import
the file under each users logon. And do it manually in a run of
regedit in
HKEY_USERS\.Default\Control Panel\International
to be picked up when new accounts are created

 

[Tim Munro]

This is all true for true "USERS". SYSTEM is not really a "User" is it.
It's an internal context. I thought ".Default" was the context when there is
noone logged in.