How GetDateStringSpec Uses Its Element Array

One of the Newton 2.x OS Q&As
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This document was exported on 7/23/97.

How GetDateStringSpec Uses Its Element Array (3/31/97)

Q: It appears that the compile-time function GetDateStringSpec formats the supplied date elements in reverse order. Is this is a bug?

A: This is the defined behavior. The Newton Programmer's Guide implies that the order does not matter, but that is not correct. GetDateStringSpec uses the elements in reverse order, although some functions that use dateStringSpecs may not observe the order defined by the dateStringSpec. For instance, some functions may use the elements of the dateStringSpec, but use the element ordering defined by the locale bundle.

For instance, you can use this call to define a dateStringSpec for use in a locale bundle with the order Day/Month/Year:
        GetDateStringSpec([[kElementYear, kFormatNumeric],[kElementMonth,
        kFormatNumeric],[kElementDay, kFormatNumeric] ]);