Using the Time Sheet

The Time sheet of the Field Properties dialog is displayed when you click the Time tab. (The Time tab is visible only when you are looking at the properties of a time or timestamp field.) Use the Time sheet to override the default time formats for the current field, if required.

You can use separator text for some formats. You cannot use more than three characters as separator text. If the separator text contains any of the characters d, M, y, g, h, H, m, s, or t, they are removed. The apostrophe character (’) is not displayed as such when used as a separator character.

The time formats have system default values, but you can set your own report-wide default values by using the Report Properties dialog. (For details about setting time defaults, see "Setting Report Properties" under "Using Administrative Functions", earlier in this chapter.)

An example of the Time sheet is shown in the following image.

The preceding image shows Time sheet of the Field Properties dialog when a timestamp field is selected. A timestamp field displays both the date and time. For a time field the Show Time, Time Then Date, and Date/Time Separator controls are not enabled and not visible.

Use the scroll buttons at the top of the Field Properties dialog to view other tabs (such as the Common tab) that may be obscured when the Date and Time tabs are displayed.

To change the properties on the Time sheet of the Field Properties dialog

  1. Check the Use Default Format check box to reset all of the Time formats to the default values.

    If you select this option, the report default values or the system default values are displayed and take effect. For details about setting date and time default formats, see "Setting Report Properties" under "Using Administrative Functions", earlier in this chapter.

    The Use Default Format check box is checked by default. If you make any changes to the format of a time field on this dialog, the Use System Default check box automatically unchecks itself, indicating that the report defaults are no longer being used. Alternatively, to begin making your changes, you can manually uncheck this check box.

    The Sample Field group box at the bottom of the sheet displays an example of the selected format.

  2. Select the 12 Hour Clock option button if you want your report times printed in 12-hour clock format or the 24 Hour Clock option button if you want your report times printed in 24-hour clock format.

  3. If you want to include seconds in the time, check the Show Seconds check box.

  4. If you want the time marker printed as a prefix to the time value (for example, pm12:06), uncheck the Show Time Marker as Suffix check box.

  5. If you want to suppress the printing of the leading zero (0) when the hour value is less than 10, uncheck the Show Leading Zero for Hours < 10 check box.

  6. In the Separator text box, enter the character that you want to separate the hours and minutes (and seconds, if the Show Seconds check box is checked) of your default time format.

    There are some differences in the remaining controls on the dialog, depending on the options that you select, and whether you have selected a time field or a timestamp field.

  7. To display the time portion of the timestamp for a timestamp field, check the Show Time check box. This check box is not visible for a time field.

  8. To display the time portion of the timestamp before the date portion for a timestamp field, check the Time Then Date check box. This check box is not visible for a time field. It is enabled only if the timestamp field displays both time and date.

  9. To separate the time portion of the timestamp from the date portion for a timestamp field, enter the character or characters to use in the Date/Time Separator text box. You can enter up to five characters as separator text. This text box is not visible for a time field.

  10. In the Marker text box, enter time markers to indicate pre-noon and post-noon times.

    If you selected the 12 Hour Clock option, there are two markers for the pre-noon and post-noon periods. If you want to create your own default markers, enter up to 30 characters in the Marker text box.

    If you selected the 24 Hour Clock option, only one Marker text box is displayed. If you want a marker printed for the time, enter up to 30 characters in the Marker text box.

  11. Click another tab if you want to make changes on other sheets of the Field Properties dialog.

  12. Click the Apply button to apply the changes you have made or click the Close button to close the Report Formats dialog.

    To save the recent changes when you close the dialog, you must click the Apply button immediately prior to closing the dialog. To abandon any changes that you have made but not yet applied, do not click the Apply button immediately prior to clicking the Close button.