Word for Windows: Using the Ordinal Switch in a DATE Field (72571)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1a
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0a
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0b
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0c
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0a
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0c
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 95 7.0a
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q72571

SUMMARY

To convert the number 15 to "15th" in a DATE field or another field that displays a number in Microsoft Word for Windows, use the ordinal switch: \* ordinal

MORE INFORMATION

The following three examples demonstrate the use of the ordinal switch:

To display

March 21st, 1991

enter the fields:

{date\@ "MMMM"} {date \@ "d" \*ordinal}, {date \@ "YYYY"}

To display

Tuesday the 21st, 1991

enter the following fields:

{date \@ "dddd"} the {date \@ "d" \*ordinal}, {date \@ "YYYY"}

To display

10th

enter the following field:

{=\*ordinal 10}

If the "d" in the DATE field is used without the ordinal switch, as in the following DATE field

{date \@ "MMMM d, yyyy"}

the result will display:

May 21, 1991

The "d" abbreviation in a DATE field will return the date as the one- or two-digit number corresponding to the day of the month. In this case, the "d" returns 21. Adding the ordinal switch (*\ordinal) changes 21 to 21st.

Reference(s):

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Reference," pages 94, 113, 117, 118
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/16/2005
Keywords:kbfield KB72571
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