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Archiver > TMG > 2002-02 > 1012925750


From: <>
Subject: [TMG] Initial characters, irregular dates
Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 11:15:59 -0500


Greetings:

Bob Gillis wrote, with my comments inserted:
> TMG does not write dates in the 04/10/1910 format because
> it can be confused. Is it 10 Apr 1910 or 4 Oct 1910.

Agreed, emphatically. I think that what TMG
does in interpreting my input is entirely
reasonable. My *ONLY* point, using the date
*ONLY* as an example, was that it cannot be
said that TMG stores information exactly in
the way that it is entered. I wouldn't want
it to do that in every case either, quite
frankly.

> I believe in one of the revisions it was requested by
> many users that the generally used convention of "say"
> be used instead of est. and circa for around dates.

Except for the mayhem caused in my UFT to
TMG import via GenBridge, where my use of
"est." and "circa" conveyed a difference of
meaning for me but TMG insisted on turning
both into the same thing, I have had no
trouble dealing with "say". I can change
the word in the Language setting anyway,
or do a search and replace if the output
goes to a word processor. Or just live
with it, which doesn't bother much of
anybody but me so it's no big deal.

> Actually you shouldn't have a say or est. date of
> 4 Oct 1910. You can't derive a date that accurately.

Correct. But picky <big grin>. Maybe
TMG shouldn't permit it?

> I still say if you want est. 04/10/1910 use an 'or *
> to create an irregular date. I doubt that many users
> would consider this a hardship.

I agree, but it's not what I'd choose.
I prefer as much as possible to use a
program's "normal" methods when it
accepts data. It saves grief later.

This raises a question. Does TMG handle
initial ' or * characters differently
than others in printed irregular dates?
One of my (small) objections was that
this technique might create "stray"
characters in printed reports. Maybe
that was a false assumption.

> Perhaps in Ver 5.x there will be an option for say
> or est.
>
> bob gillis

I will like that if there is, if other
issues permit me to keep using TMG. I
hope so; for most things it is the best
program going.

Darrell
darrellm@

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