Can merge fields be entered into text form fields?

We are using a Word mailmerge to populate forms used in a courtroom. This is only a stop-gap until a new database is finished, but we've encountered one large problem- The form has a number of {FORMCHECKBOX} entries, which make it very simple to fill out the form. Occasionally, something entered from a mergefield needs to be edited on the form (eg new address). The problem is that the form must be unprotected to edit text on the form. Renabling the protection on the form clears all the checkboxes, forcing the user to begin from scratch. This is a real headache as there may be 30 or 40 forms in the merged document. I have read the answers to posts about splitting the merged document, and considered this as a solution. But this particular situation is fast-paced, and there is no time to be hunting for and opening a new document for every form.

So here's the question:
1- Can a Word merge field be set as the default entry in a text field?
Or will using ActiveX check boxes eliminate the problem? (Even though it's difficult to place them exactly where you want them in relation to text)

Also
2- Can a text form field with the calculation option set calculate the totals of numerical merge fields? (This would solve the most common problem of changing the default amount being awarded by the court on the form.)

Thanks in advance for sharing your valuable time!

OK, I've managed to solve the calculation problem by inserting the numerical amounts into a table, then making a calculation field to total them.

Any ideas about inserting a merge field as the default for a text field would be greatly appreciated. Even a "Microsoftdoesnotwantyoutobeabletodothatsoyoucan't " would give me peace of mind *tired smile*

----- Walt wrote: -----

We are using a Word mailmerge to populate forms used in a courtroom. This is only a stop-gap until a new database is finished, but we've encountered one large problem- The form has a number of {FORMCHECKBOX} entries, which make it very simple to fill out the form. Occasionally, something entered from a mergefield needs to be edited on the form (eg new address). The problem is that the form must be unprotected to edit text on the form. Renabling the protection on the form clears all the checkboxes, forcing the user to begin from scratch. This is a real headache as there may be 30 or 40 forms in the merged document. I have read the answers to posts about splitting the merged document, and considered this as a solution. But this particular situation is fast-paced, and there is no time to be hunting for and opening a new document for every form.

So here's the question:
1- Can a Word merge field be set as the default entry in a text field?
Or will using ActiveX check boxes eliminate the problem? (Even though it's difficult to place them exactly where you want them in relation to text)

Also
2- Can a text form field with the calculation option set calculate the totals of numerical merge fields? (This would solve the most common problem of changing the default amount being awarded by the court on the form.)

Thanks in advance for sharing your valuable time!

Walt,

As an alternative, you can use the following macros to
unprotect and protect your documents:

Sub Unprotect()
On Error GoTo Ignore
MsgBox "The form is not protected."
ActiveDocument.Unprotect
Igno Err.Clear
End Sub

Sub Protect()
On Error GoTo Ignore
ActiveDocument.Protect Type:=wdAllowOnlyFormFields,
NoReset:=True
MsgBox "The form is now protected."
Igno Err.Clear
End Sub

The NoReset:=True prevents the fields from resetting.

To make using these macros relatively seamless, I have
replaced the Lock/Unlock toggle icon on my Forms toolbar
with a Lock and Unlock icon set to fire the appropriate
macro.

HTH
-----Original Message-----
We are using a Word mailmerge to populate forms used in a
courtroom. This is only a stop-gap until a new database
is finished, but we've encountered one large problem- The
form has a number of {FORMCHECKBOX} entries, which make it
very simple to fill out the form. Occasionally, something
entered from a mergefield needs to be edited on the form
(eg new address). The problem is that the form must be
unprotected to edit text on the form. Renabling the
protection on the form clears all the checkboxes, forcing
the user to begin from scratch. This is a real headache
as there may be 30 or 40 forms in the merged document. I
have read the answers to posts about splitting the merged
document, and considered this as a solution. But this
particular situation is fast-paced, and there is no time
to be hunting for and opening a new document for every
form.

So here's the question:
1- Can a Word merge field be set as the default entry in
a text field?
Or will using ActiveX check boxes eliminate the problem?
(Even though it's difficult to place them exactly where
you want them in relation to text)

Also
2- Can a text form field with the calculation option set
calculate the totals of numerical merge fields? (This
would solve the most common problem of changing the
default amount being awarded by the court on the form.)

Thanks in advance for sharing your valuable time!
.

Well, that pretty much wraps up that problem. I only wish I could go home now. Thanks Greg!!! I'll credit you in the macro code.

You can reprotect the form without resetting the checkboxes. Will that do?
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/...lfResetOff.htm

--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

"Walt" wrote in message
...
We are using a Word mailmerge to populate forms used in a courtroom. This
is only a stop-gap until a new database is finished, but we've encountered
one large problem- The form has a number of {FORMCHECKBOX} entries, which
make it very simple to fill out the form. Occasionally, something entered
from a mergefield needs to be edited on the form (eg new address). The
problem is that the form must be unprotected to edit text on the form.
Renabling the protection on the form clears all the checkboxes, forcing the
user to begin from scratch. This is a real headache as there may be 30 or
40 forms in the merged document. I have read the answers to posts about
splitting the merged document, and considered this as a solution. But this
particular situation is fast-paced, and there is no time to be hunting for
and opening a new document for every form.

So here's the question:
1- Can a Word merge field be set as the default entry in a text field?
Or will using ActiveX check boxes eliminate the problem? (Even though it's
difficult to place them exactly where you want them in relation to text)

Also
2- Can a text form field with the calculation option set calculate the
totals of numerical merge fields? (This would solve the most common problem
of changing the default amount being awarded by the court on the form.)

Thanks in advance for sharing your valuable time!

Thanks for the reference Charles. I spent half an hour looking through www.mvps.org and never saw that article. I even spent some time looking at http://addbalance.com/word. Thanks for your help.

Walt