How do I add text to list numbers and how do I format TIME

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ddauerbach
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How do I add text to list numbers and how do I format TIME

Post by ddauerbach »

I want a list like this:
Lecture I:
Lecture II:
Lecture III:

I can easily put in "Lecture" by hand; is there a way to automatically prefix a fixed text to a list number?

And, for drafts I like to put the time and date in the footer; I can't see where the TIME format is, uhh, formatable. (I'd like to lose the seconds; that kind of precision I don't need.). I'd to to format the date too, but that's acceptable in its default.
rpcameron
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Post by rpcameron »

You can have the text "Lecture" prepended if you use Auto-Titles. As for the Date/Time format, I believe it comes from your preferred format selected in the System Preferences. If you don't need the precision there, then you need to modify your SysPrefs, or manually enter the Date/Time by hand, IIRC.
— Robert Cameron
ddauerbach
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How do I add text to list numbers and how do I format TIME

Post by ddauerbach »

OK, I'll learn auto-titles

But no, it doesn't pick up the time format from the system setting.
ddauerbach
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How do I get rid of the seconds place in the TIME insert

Post by ddauerbach »

I'd like to be able to format the time indicator I get with Insert date and time. I'd also like it to be (optionally) dynamic. Is there a way?
Mart°n
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Re: How do I get rid of the seconds place in the TIME insert

Post by Mart°n »

ddauerbach wrote:I'd like to be able to format the time indicator I get with Insert date and time. I'd also like it to be (optionally) dynamic. Is there a way?
From the manual on page 92:

Date and time format
There are three format options for date and time insertion: Long Date, Short Date, and Time.
The format is based on the date and time formats in Mac OS X under System Preferences >
International > Formats.


followed by

Important note: Due to bugs in Apple’s implementation of Date and Time format, not all
changes in formatting will work correctly.

ddauerbach wrote:I'd also like it to be (optionally) dynamic. Is there a way?
You could already set the date and time as dynamic variables. When you select the Insert › Date… menu, you could choose the Type from three different options:

• Document creation date
• Document opening date
• Current date (text)

of which the first two are dynamic ones.

I don’t know, if the timestamp isn’t adjustable within the System Preferences due the mentioned bug in Mac OS X or if this is a fault/missing feature in Mellel. If the latter is the case, you may request a configurable timestamp as a feature.
In the meantime, you could create a find & replace action, that deletes the seconds of all time stamps you use in a document.
ddauerbach
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Post by ddauerbach »

Thanks for the response. The dynamic time I want is the time now; not creation or open, but as of printing. That's so I can tell what draft I'm looking at.
rpcameron
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Post by rpcameron »

ddauerbach wrote:Thanks for the response. The dynamic time I want is the time now; not creation or open, but as of printing. That's so I can tell what draft I'm looking at.
It appears what you're looking for is from "Insert > Date … > Current date (text)" This presents you with 3 options: Long Date, Short Date, and Time. The formats for these are taken from your formatting settings in "System Preferences > International > Formats". From there, you can choose the "Customize …" button in the Dates or Times section to define your preferred format for Long Date and Short Date. My current settings display:

Long Date : Wednesday 4 October 2006
Short Date : 4/10/06
Time : 16.13.22

This is of course how I have chosen to have it displayed throughout my system. However, this is not a variable that updates automatically: you have to manually re-enter the date/time (or re-insert it) at each printing.
— Robert Cameron
ddauerbach
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Post by ddauerbach »

Ahh, but that's not what I'm looking for. I found that. And, a) it shows seconds even though my system time is set not to and b) it doesn't update automatically, which is precisely what I want. I want the computer to do the work, not me.
slowfoodtriangle.org
ddauerbach
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Post by ddauerbach »

Yes, poll. I was hesitant to suggest it as a feature because a) I didn't know if there was already a way to do it (being a novice) and b) it is minor
On the other hand it is very useful and trivial to implement.
slowfoodtriangle.org
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