Active X controls cause long load time

[Guest]

I have created a very simple template in Word that uses the active X control
toolbox forms text as well as combo and option buttons. There are about 90+
on the template which equates approximately 250K in size; 5,500 characters.
I am using Word 2002? On a windows 2000 OS. My issue is that the loading of
a form field template is almost immediate and yet the template using the
control toolbox takes about 7-10 seconds? There is no VBA coding other than
at the new and open I added the data for the combo box.

The reason I want to use the control tollbox is due to our need to keep the
users from using the return key. Unless there is a way to not have the form
(using form fields) return to the next line thus expanding the form
incorectly I am using the properties (autotab to true, Word wrap to false and
enterkeybehavior to false). This seems to fix my return issue and forces teh
user to use the tab key as I want them to. But now if I send this to our
customers (Credit application template) they will certainly complain of the
long load time. Although less than 10 seconds it is an amount of time that
should not exist.

Any suggestions would be great.

 

[Jay Freedman]

I have created a very simple template in Word that uses the active X control
toolbox forms text as well as combo and option buttons. There are about 90+
on the template which equates approximately 250K in size; 5,500 characters.
I am using Word 2002? On a windows 2000 OS. My issue is that the loading of
a form field template is almost immediate and yet the template using the
control toolbox takes about 7-10 seconds? There is no VBA coding other than
at the new and open I added the data for the combo box.

The reason I want to use the control tollbox is due to our need to keep the
users from using the return key. Unless there is a way to not have the form
(using form fields) return to the next line thus expanding the form
incorectly I am using the properties (autotab to true, Word wrap to false and
enterkeybehavior to false). This seems to fix my return issue and forces teh
user to use the tab key as I want them to. But now if I send this to our
customers (Credit application template) they will certainly complain of the
long load time. Although less than 10 seconds it is an amount of time that
should not exist.

Any suggestions would be great.

Each individual ActiveX control takes a small fraction of a second to
load and initialize, but 90 of them is just too much. The size in
bytes is irrelevant; it's just the sheer number of operations needed.
There's nothing you can do about the load time.

A good summary of ActiveX in Word is at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnword2k2/html/odc_activeX.asp.

You can use ordinary form fields and make the Enter key act like the
Tab key by including some macro code. See
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=211219. You can also place the form
fields in table cells and set the table rows to Exact heights so they
can't expand.