Re: MS Word Text Form Fields

[Keith Hood <klhra -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

If the form you're working with has to be editable,
but you want the fields to be usable as actual form
elements, then I'd recommend this:  lock it by using
the padlock icon on the Forms toolbar. When you
distribute the form (assuming you send it by email),
add a section to the email that explains the use of
that toolbar/icon, so people can understand how and
why to unlock if they need to edit the verbiage, and
how and why to lock it when they only need to fill in
data fields. I'd also probably add a paragraph at the
top of the document that explains this locking
business.


--- Chris Morton <salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:

> Problem is, the form is a document template that
> must be 100% editable by
> many people. So I presume that it should *not* be
> locked in any manner. Is
> this correct?
> 
> > Jagdriver
> 
> 
> On 5/14/08, Keith Hood <klhra -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
> >
> > The fields do have to be locked before the Tab or
> > arrow keys can be used to navigate between the
> fields.
> > As long as they're unlocked, you can edit the
> fields
> > but they don't work as form elements.
> >
> > Like so many other things in Word, there's at
> least
> > two ways to lock or unlock these fields. Both of
> them
> > also prevent others from editing the document. If
> you
> > open the Tools menu and select "Protect Document,"
> > Word opens the "Protect Document" pane - refer to
> the
> > attached graphic. That pane allows you to set the
> > document so that users can fill in forms. If you
> then
> > set a password on the document, the fields will
> then
> > work as form elements.
> >
> > Unfortunately, the action of the padlock icon on
> the
> > toolbar is NOT fully compatible with the action of
> the
> > password protection applied through the Tools
> menu. If
> > you use the padlock icon to lock the fields, you
> can
> > unlock the fields by clicking Tools > Unprotect
> > Document. However, it doesn't work the same in
> > reverse. If you set the password by using the
> Tools
> > menu and then click the padlock icon, Word
> displays a
> > dialog box and prompts you to enter the password.
> So,
> > if someone locks the fields by using the Tools
> menu,
> > and a second person tries to unlock them using the
> > padlock icon, the second user will not be able to
> edit
> > the document until the password is entered.
> >
> > Which way to lock the document depends on the
> > situation. If you use the padlock icon on the
> Forms
> > toolbar, you don't have to worry about forgetting
> the
> > password. But, if you lock by using the padlock
> icon,
> > anyone who knows how to open the toolbar can
> unlock
> > the document and edit it. There may be situations
> when
> > you need to use the password to keep unauthorized
> > people from editing the file.
> >
> >
> > --- Lauren <lauren -at- writeco -dot- net> wrote:
> >
> > > There is a lock button in the form toolbar. 
> (Make
> > > sure the "Forms" toolbar
> > > is visible and the button with the padlock is
> > > toggled on for form entry and
> > > off for editing the form.)  Form fields and
> other
> > > controls only work when
> > > the form is locked as a form and not unlocked as
> a
> > > document.  Text can only
> > > be entered in appropriate fields and tabbing
> through
> > > fields is available
> > > when the form is locked.
> > >
> > > Lauren
> > >
> > >
> > >   _____
> > >
> > > From: Chris Morton
> [mailto:salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 2:52 PM
> > > To: Lauren; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> > > Subject: Re: MS Word Text Form Fields
> > >
> > >
> > > I didn't develop the form, so I don't know if
> it's
> > > locked or not. How can I
> > > tell? What bearing might this have on my
> question?
> > > Is it something that can
> > > implemented, but only if the form is unlocked
> first?
> > >
> > >
> > > On 5/14/08, Lauren <lauren -at- writeco -dot- net> wrote:
> > >
> > > Did you lock your form?
> > >
> > > Lauren
> > >
> > > > From: Chris Morton
> > >
> > > > I'm working with a custom app that offers an
> MS
> > > Word module
> > > > comprised of
> > > > Text Form Fields.
> > > >
> > > > Is there a way to quickly jump from one blank
> in
> > > the form to another?
> > > > Tabbing doesn't work.
> > > >
> > > > > Jagdriver
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
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