When the format type is either "Time" or "Time + Date" and you select the "Time" button in the horizontal bar (upper right portion of the 'Numeric Format' dialog box), the "Configuration" section looks like this:

Screen snap: "Configuration" section

The "sample" text field can be edited. The format is displayed in the "sample" area exactly like it will be in a cell. When you click on a button of the "Configuration" section, the button's label is inserted in the "sample" area. When you delete any character from an automatic insertion, the whole block is deleted too.

To modify an time format, you have to click on the buttons and then adjust the result in the "sample" text field.

This section is composed, from top to bottom, by:

• The "Alignment" sub-section: the three buttons select whether you want to make a time element always displayed or not, and if necessary, which character is used for replacement. For example, minutes can be displayed with one or two digits.
   
  • The "None" button selects no alignment. The different parts of a time are displayed with the minimum number of digit.
     
  • The "with '0'" button selects alignment for numbers and completion with zeros. The different parts of a time are displayed with the maximum number of digit, and the missing numbers are replaced by zeros.
     
  • The "with ' '" button selects alignment for numbers and completion with spaces. The different parts of a time are displayed with the maximum number of digit, and the missing numbers are replaced by spaces.
     
• The three "Hours" buttons insert the hours part of the time in the sample area. The buttons are, from left to right:
  • Hour for a half day (12 hours). Thus, 5PM are displayed 5, not 17. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
     
  • The AM / PM signs. AM stands for 'Ante Meridiem' (before noon), which means the morning. PM stands for 'Post Meridiem', which means the afternoon.
     
  • Hour for a whole day (24 hours). Thus, 1PM is displayed 13, not 1. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
     
• The "Minutes" button inserts the minutes part of the time in the sample area. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
   
• The "Seconds" button inserts the seconds part of the time in the sample area. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
   
• The "Second Tenths" button inserts the second tenths part of the time in the sample area. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
   
• The "Second Hundredth" button inserts the second hundredth part of the time in the sample area. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
   
• The "Second Thousandth" button inserts the second thousandth part of the time in the sample area. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
   
• The six "Separators" buttons insert a separator character in the sample area. You can either click on one of the most current separator characters, or enter a particular one in the sample text field.

Format date configuration

When the format type is either "Time" or "Time + Date" and you select the "Dates" button in the horizontal bar (upper right portion of the 'Numeric Format' dialog box), the "Configuration" section looks like this:

Screen snap: "Configuration" section

The "sample" text field can be edited. The format is displayed in the "sample" area exactly like it will be in a cell. When you click on a button of the "Configuration" section, the button's label is inserted in the "sample" area. When you delete any character from an automatic insertion, the whole block is deleted too.

To modify a date format, you have to click on the buttons and then adjust the result in the "sample" text field.

This section is composed, from top to bottom, by:

• The "Alignment" sub-section: the three buttons select whether you want to make a date element always displayed or not, and if necessary, which character is used for replacement. For example, the day of the month can be displayed with one or two digits.
   
  • The "None" button selects no alignment. The different parts of a date are displayed with the minimum number of digit.
     
  • The "with '0'" button selects alignment for numbers and completion with zeros. The different parts of a date are displayed with the maximum number of digit, and the missing numbers are replaced by zeros.
     
  • The "with ' '" button selects alignment for numbers and completion with spaces. The different parts of a date are displayed with the maximum number of digit, and the missing numbers are replaced by spaces.
     
• The "Length of names" sub-section: the three buttons selects the length for the displaying of names of the weekdays, or months.
   
  • The "Very Short" button selects a very short form of the name. The name of the weekday or of the month is displayed with one or two letters (there are sometimes two letters to avoid possible mistakes).
     
  • The "Short" button selects a short form of the name. The name of the weekday or of the month is displayed with three letters.
     
  • The "Long" button selects a long form of the name. The name of the weekday or of the month is displayed entirely.
     
• The three "Year" buttons insert the year part of the date in the sample area. The buttons are, from left to right:
   
  • Year in long form (i.e. 4 digits for nowadays). This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
     
  • Year in short form (i.e. 2 digits for nowadays). This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
     
  • A relative indication from J.C. (Jesus Christ). "Negative" years have an "BC" mention, while "negative" years have a "AC" mention.
     
• The two "Month" buttons insert the month part of the date in the sample area. The buttons are, from left to right:
   
  • Month as a number (i.e. 1 for January). This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
     
  • Name of the month. This label is dependent from the "Length of names" parameter.
     
• The "Week" buttons inserts the week number in the year part of the date in the sample area. The 1^st January of the year starts the 1^st week of the year. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
   
• The two "Day" buttons insert the day part of the date in the sample area. The buttons are, from left to right:
   
  • The day number in the month. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
     
  • The name of the day in the week. This label is dependent from the "Length of names" parameter.
     
• The "Day of the year" buttons inserts the day number in the year part of the date in the sample area. The 1^st January of the year is the 1^st day of the year. This label is dependent from the "Alignment" parameter.
   
• The six "Separators" buttons insert a separator character in the sample area. You can either click on one of the most current separator characters, or enter a particular one in the sample text field.