Large block of text in a FormField

[John... Visio MVP]

On paper forms there is some times a series of lines for the writer to enter
long winded text. For example, an area for comments. Is there any way to do
something similar in a Word Form? The normal Form Field for text is just a
few characters long. This will expand to allow multiline text, but
initially, it is just a few characters long.

So rather than

Comments:____

How can I get something like

Comments:_________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________

?
John... Visio MVP

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

It's hardly worth the trouble for a form that will be filled out online, but
you can put your form field in a table cell set for an Exact height and then
add drawing lines at the required intervals to match the text that will be
inserted. For more specific instructions, see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/LinesInForms.htm.

Note that there is *no* solution other than drawing lines that will really
work. Underlines are unsatisfactory, and table borders require multiple
cells; as I'm sure you realize, text cannot flow from one cell to the next,
so borders won't work.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Graham Mayor]

If you need the lines (unnecessary for a form to be filled in on screen)
then there is no simple way to do this. One possibility would be to create a
borderless table cell of fixed height and width, large enough to take your
comments section. Insert some random text into the cell as a guide then with
the zoom setting at a comfortably large size to view the cell, use the line
drawing tool to draw a line between the first and second rows of random
text. Copy then paste as many times as you have lines then drag the pasted
lines between the remaining lines of text. At high magnification it is
simple to align them by eye. Select all the lines right click and group them
then set behind text. Then delete the random text and put a form field in
the cell.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[John... Visio MVP]

Thanks Suzanne

I am working just one level about real paper and pencil. They want a
template that looks like the real form and then can be printed. There are no
plans to actually capture the information (yet). If I can convince them to
actually capture the information, I would go for a more structured design
with user forms, but for now, they want to emulate the paper version.

The main reasoning is that it makes for more readable results if the
information is typed rather than attacked by pen/pencil by someone with
writing skills envied by the AMA prescription writing standards team. Though
the text fields do expand to accomdate more text, the use of a table cell
should give the initial sense of a large writing area. The lines are not as
necessary as the presence of a space to write in. Many forms just leave a
large white space to write in and forego the task of adding lines to the
space.

John...

 

[John... Visio MVP]

Thanks Graham, as I mentioned to Suzanne, this is an attempt to mimic the
paper version, so the amount of white space is far more import than the
appearance of a lined area to "write" on.

The lines may work, but a problem will arise when the text exceeds the
original number of lines designed for. The text will continue to wrap, but
only the first couple of lines will be underlined. Far asier to eliminate
the lines and let Word do it's thing.

The key thing is to preserve a suitable amount of white space for the
initial view of the form.

John... Visio MVP

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In that case, use a table cell with "At least" height. You'll get the
appearance of a large white space without restricting the ability to expand
further.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Graham Mayor]

In that case the table cell of fixed height and width will ensure that you
only have the requisite amount of space to write in. Any extra and it simply
disappears off the bottom of the cell.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[John... Visio MVP]

Actually that is not a problem. if the cell's hieght is set to "at least",
as Suzanne mentioned, then the cell will grow with the amount of text
entered.

John... Visio MVP

 

[Graham Mayor]

So it will, but I thought you wanted to reserve the space - or am I reading
too much into this?

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

He wants to have a large block of space for the printed form but an
expanding freeform space for the online form.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[John... Visio MVP]

It was to reserve SOME space. Just enough to give the user the idea that
there is room to enter a chunk of text. If there is only room for a few
characters (what you would get with a text form field), then the
psychological suggestion is that you should be very terse with your entry.

On a printed form, white space is used to indicate that a more verbose entry
is expected.

John... Visio MVP