Multiple language date formats in Excel with VBA - excel

Question

I'm trying to have the current date recognized in Excel using an =TEXT(TODAY(),"mmmm d yyyy") function, but I have run into issues with Canadian users based in Quebec, who may have a system install set to English or French, and likewise an Office install in one language or the other. For today's date, my spreadsheet pulls March 10 2021 on my computer, but the result has been askew for each Quebec-based user I have tested with.
In order to resolve this, I set up a VBA function to pull the application's language setting, with the intention to use a simple IF to check the language code and change from "mmmm d yyyy" to "mmmm j aaaa" (the letters to match the French journée for day and année for year, as per consulting the formats available on French Excel's TEXTE function). My function worked... but the output has come back incorrect each time.
Public Function LangCheck()
Dim lang_code As Long
lang_code = Application.LanguageSettings.LanguageID(msoLanguageIDUI)
LangCheck = lang_code
End Function
So that did its job, but the outputs should have been March 10 2021 or mars 10 2021. Instead from two different users I have received:
March j Wednesday, from a user with a French Excel setting, confirmed by the code outputting language ID 1036.
mars d yyyy, from a user with an English Excel setting on a French OS, confirmed by the code outputting language ID 1033.
Excel is translating every function to its French cognate, but won't translate the formats for the TEXT function on its own. Does anyone have a suggestion for a VBA or function-based solve to this conundrum so that I can ensure consistent dates return regardless of language?

Answer 1

You can use the Application.International properties to extract the correct DMY tokens, and use a named reference for the text function format code:
Change your formula to:
=TEXT(TODAY(),"dtFormat")
And store the below code into the ThisWorkbook module
Wherever the file is opened, the Sub will run and ensure that the dtFormat name has the appropriate DMY codes for the locale.
Option Explicit
'change text function date code
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Dim yrCode As String, mnthCode As String, dyCode As String
Dim dtCode As String
Dim nM As Name
With Application
yrCode = WorksheetFunction.Rept(.International(xlYearCode), 4)
mnthCode = WorksheetFunction.Rept(.International(xlMonthCode), 4)
dyCode = WorksheetFunction.Rept(.International(xlDayCode), 1)
End With
'Can only add a name if it is absent
For Each nM In ThisWorkbook.Names
If nM.Name = "dtFormat" Then
nM.Delete
Exit For
End If
Next nM
dtCode = mnthCode & " " & dyCode & " " & yrCode
ThisWorkbook.Names.Add _
Name:="dtFormat", _
RefersTo:="=""" & dtCode & """", _
Visible:=False
End Sub