> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.abbyy.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Edit a date field
> Tune date field properties such as marking, cell size, date format, separators, tips, and constraints in the FormDesigner Element Properties window.
Change the properties of a **date field** in the **Element Properties** window in the bottom right corner of the [main window](/flexi-capture/form-designer/main-program-window). The window is shown only when **View → Element Properties** is selected.
## Element
| Property | Description |
| -------- | ----------------------------------- |
| **Type** | Date field. |
| **ID** | A unique identifier of the element. |
## Position and size
| Property | Description |
| ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Left** | Sets the distance between the left edge of the form and the element. |
| **Top** | Sets the distance between the top edge of the form and the element. |
| **Width** | Sets the width of the **date field**. |
| **Height** | Sets the height of the **date field**. |
To change the cell height, use the **Marking** tab.
## Alignment
| Property | Description |
| --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Horizontal** | Aligns the text horizontally: **Center**, **Left**, or **Right**. |
| **Vertical** | Aligns the text vertically: **Bottom**, **Center**, or **Top**. |
| **Orientation** | Sets the text orientation: **Normal (horizontal)** (left to right), **Vertical (top-to-bottom)**, or **Vertical (bottom-to-top)**. |
## Marking
| Property | Description |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Marking type** | Sets the marking type: Letters on a Comb, Text in a Frame with a Comb, Letters in Frames, Letters in Separate Frames, or Letters in Separate Dotted Frames. |
| **Marking color** | Selects a marking color from the drop-down list (dropout forms) or the palette (color forms). |
| **Bold marking line** | Makes the cell frames bold (for all marking types except Letters in Separate Dotted Frames). |
| **Cell size** | Selects a predefined character cell size. See [Cell sizes](#cell-sizes). |
### Cell sizes
| Cell size | Letters on a Comb, Text in a Frame with a Comb, Letters in Frames | Letters in Separate Frames, Letters in Separate Dotted Frames |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Extra large | 6.5 x 7.9 mm | 5.0 x 7.0 mm |
| Large | 6.5 x 7.4 mm | 5.0 x 6.5 mm |
| Normal (default) | 5.2 x 5.7 mm | 4.0 x 5.0 mm |
| Small | 4.0 x 4.6 mm | 3.0 x 4.0 mm |
| Custom | 4.2–6.7 mm wide, 4.7–8.2 mm high | 3.0–5.5 mm wide, 4.0–7.5 mm high |
The **Extra large** and **Custom** cell sizes are not supported by previous versions of FormDesigner. You can adjust custom values in increments of 0.1 mm.
## Background
| Property | Description |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Same as form background** | Makes the element background the same color as the form background. |
| **Other** | Selects a background color from the drop-down list (dropout forms) or the palette (color forms). |
The range of available colors depends on the type of your form (black and white or color).
## Date
| Property | Description |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Date format** | Sets the date format: **DD.MM.YYYY**, **MM.DD.YYYY**, or **YYYY.MM.D**. |
| **Digits in year** | Sets the number of cells for the year: **2** or **4**. |
| **Separator** | Selects the date separator: `.`, `/`, or `-`. |
| **Separator color** | Selects the separator color from the drop-down list (dropout forms) or the palette (color forms). |
| **Tip text** | Sets the tip text. The tip is typed in the date field, with each character in its own cell. |
| **Tip color** | Selects the tip color from the drop-down list (dropout forms) or the palette (color forms). |
| **Font** | Selects the tip font. |
| **Auto size font** | Sizes the tip font automatically to the cell height. |
You can purchase additional fonts and multilingual font support at [www.paratype.com](https://www.paratype.com/).
## Linked field
| Property | Description |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Linked field** | By default, each new element is linked to a field created for it in the [document structure](/flexi-capture/form-designer/document-structure). To link it to another field of the same type, select the field from the drop-down list. |
## Constraints
| Property | Description |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Cannot be blank** | If selected, the form cannot be exported until the **date field** is filled in. |
| **Constraints** | Configure rules with the **Add...**, **Edit...**, and **Remove...** buttons. See [Configure date field rules](/flexi-capture/form-designer/element-date-field-rule). |