InfoPath Dev

In a form I've created I'm asking InfoPath to take user inputted variables and create a name for a log file. The format is:

 DeviceName-Date-MaintenanceNumber

but InfoPath is inserting a space so that the file name would be:

 DeviceName- Date-MaintenanceNumber

 Any place there's a reference to the date field there's a space in front of it.  I've gone through and deleted the spaces but when I close the document and reopen it the spaces are there again.  Any thoughts?

The extra space seems strange. What's the formula being used? Is it concat? Share your rule and I'll try to reproduce the issue (also, is it 2007 or 2010?)

I don't have any rule at all.  I have a text box where the data type is Date in the format "2001-03-14" and that field is referenced elsewhere in the document.  Every place I reference it the document puts a space in front of it.  I'm using 2007. If all else fails I'll just change it to a normal text field but I liked the automatic data validation that notes when the entry is not a valid date.  Here's a screenshot of an example:

Could you upload a copy of a form that reproduces this issue?  I've never seen something like this before.

Here you go:

DateExample.xsn - 0.00MB

The forum provides an attachment option when you make a post (though it can be hard to spot).

When posting/replying, look above the text box for the 'Options' tab and inside of it is a button to upload a file attachment.

Anyway, I downloaded your template and...I can't produce the problem. Sorry.

I published the template, opened a new blank form, filled in the three boxes and noted that the fields below auto-displayed correctly.
I saved the form, reopened it, and it all still looked the same.

The only times I've had 'space' issues is when retrieving data from a secondary datasource that is a database and the values get 'padded' with spaces to the size of the field.

 ah, I'm sorry, I see what you mean now - the space appears in front of the control itself. And yes, I do see that too. Interesting. If I change the control back into a text control then the problem goes away, and if I delete the dash it also stops happening. Put any other character instead of the dash and it happens again.

A work around suggestion: put the controls in their own cells in a layout table.

You can format a layout table to look exactly like what you have now, and the space doesn't keep appearing in front of the control.