HOW TO: Change Date, Time, Number, and Currency Value Displays in Windows XP (307938)

SUMMARY

When you set display configuration options for dates, times, and numbers in the operating system, these settings affect the Date dialog box and other operating system windows. The Windows software you use also adopts those settings as you enter dates, times, and numbers (including currency) in your documents. This articles describes how to change the way Windows XP displays dates, times, currency values, and numbers.

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Changing the Regional and Language Options

You can use the Regional and Language Options tool in Control Panel to customize the way Windows handles dates, times, currency values, and numbers.

To open the Regional and Language Options tool:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options, and then click Regional and Language Options.
3. To change one or more of the individual settings, click Customize.
   
   NOTE: The location selection that you make includes default display options for the way dates, times, and numbers are displayed.

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To Change the Date Display

1. In the Customize Regional Options dialog box, click the Date tab to specify any changes you want to make to the short date and the long date.
2. If you do not see the format you want in the Short date or Long date boxes, use the following guidelines:
   • To display single-digit numbers without a leading zero, type d for the day setting, type y for the year setting, and type M for the month setting.
   • To display leading zeros with single-digit numbers, type dd for the day setting, type yy for the year setting, and type MM for the month setting.
   • To display the last two digits of the year, type yy for the year setting.
   • To display four digits for the year, type yyyy for the year setting.
   • To display abbreviations for the day or month, type ddd for the day setting and type MMM for the month setting.
   • To display the full name of the day or month, type dddd for the day setting and type MMMM for the month setting.
   • To display additional text, type single quotation marks (') around text.
     
     NOTE: Type an uppercase M for the month setting. The lowercase m is used for the minute setting.
3. To specify how your computer interprets two-digit years, on the Date tab, under When a two-digit year is entered, interpret it as a year between, type or click the year that you want to configure this setting to end at.
   
   This feature has a 100-year span (the default span is 1930 to 2029). Four-digit years are not affected by this option. A program that uses this option to interpret two-digit years considers the years between (and including) 30 and 99 to be preceded by 19, and years between (and including) 00 and 29 to be preceded by 20. For example, 99 is interpreted as 1999 and 01 is interpreted as 2001.
   
   NOTE: Not all programs use this option. If the program you are using does not correctly interpret two-digit years, consult the documentation or manufacturer of that program.

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To Change the Time Display

1. In the Customize Regional Options dialog box, click the Time tab to specify any changes you want to make.
   
   NOTE: To configure the settings so that the leading zeros in single-digit hours, minutes, or seconds are not displayed, type a single uppercase H, or lowercase letters, such as h, m, or s.
2. If you do not see the format you want in the Time format box, use the following guidelines:
   • To display time in a 24-hour format, type an uppercase H or HH for the hour.
   • To display time in a 12-hour format, type lowercase h or hh for the hour.
   • To display leading zeros in single-digit hours, type HH or hh.
   • To display a single letter to indicate AM or PM, type lowercase t.
   • To display two letters to indicate AM or PM, type lowercase tt.
   • To display text, type single quotation marks (') around text.

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To Change the Currency Value Display

In the Customize Regional Options dialog box, click the Currency tab to specify any changes you want to make. You can change the currency symbol, the formats used for positive or negative amounts, and the punctuation marks.

NOTE: If you are switching currencies (for example, from a national currency to the Euro), change the currency symbol, and then click OK or Apply. The other fields change to reflect the new currency.

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To Change the Number Display

In the Customize Regional Options dialog box, click the Numbers tab to specify any changes you want to make. You can change the decimal symbol and list separator, the format used for negative numbers and leading zeros, and the measurement system (U.S. or metric).

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