OK, I see that $date can work in a different way; if the Thread display uses $date,
then the present timestamp is substituted into the thread display line, rather than the 
date that the entry is entered.  So, for example, in a whole list of entry and replies, the present
date shows on each entry of the thread.  However, the format is still that as defined by
'Time format' rather than 'Date format'.

If nothing else, I cannot really see the point of the 'Date format =' in the way that this all works.

> Hi,
> 
> I hope I'm not missing the blindingly obvious here, but I have an issue with time and date formats
> 
> Extract from my elog.cfg file:
> 
> 
> Time format = %a %d %b %y
> Date format = %d %b
> Thread display = $Ticket: $System, $entry time. ($message id). $status
> Preset text = [$date]
> Prepend on reply = [$date] \n
> 
> I can point to places in the syntax doc where each of these lines are given.
> 
> As for the results, the thread display is (for example):
> 
> T00001: Computer, Wed 29 Aug 12. (1). Problem
> 
> However, what I get at the top of the text box in starting a new entry or replying to a previous one is
> 
> [Wed 29 Aug 12]
> 
> whereas I expected to get
> 
> [29 Aug]
> 
> Putting $date instead of $entry time in the Thread display line makes (the by now expected) no difference
> 
> I cannot see where I'm going wrong.  
> 
> TIA 
> 
> David.