So I have a layout with a bunch of fields, and I want to change the text format in them. No problem -- except for the Date field. When I click in that field, all the text formatting is greyed out.

Why is FMP trying to ruin my life?

Have you deleted the field from the layout and then put it back on again? Could the file be trashed, and need to be recovered?

Nope -- I get the same thing in different files.

I just checked, and I get the same in number fields. I have a feeling it has something to do with the fact that, in Layout mode, you can "Format Date", or "Number".

But it still stinks.

Well, it wouldn't make much sense to be able to format the day differently from the month - or maybe it would... you can certainly specify the text format for the entire field by selecting it in layout mode. So you could work around it by creating separate month, day, and year calcs, and then you could format each one as you wish.

Except that it occasionally makes sense to format one record differently from the other records. ("Father, why is this record different from all others?" -- it's just around the corner, you know)

Ah well, I guess FMP is just gonna have to hear from me directly.

And I'm sure that they will put your request right behind the ability to format text, etc. on the fly with a calculation.