Drafting forms

[Guest]

I am an Office Word 2003 user. I frequently need to make forms for
"template" purposes, i.e., to be used over and over again. In some of these
forms, a question is asked, and I provide a blank line to insert a one or two
word answer or number amount. However, I cannot figure out how to keep the
line from disappearing when the answer is typed in. Is there a way to make
the line remain underneath the answer?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/LinesInForms.htm and especially
the forms tutorials by Dian Chapman that this article links to.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Guest]

I appreciate your response. It was helpful to a point; however, it was
difficult for me to apply it to my particular form. I tried to draw lines
using the Line tool on the Drawing toolbar, however, I kept getting a big box
that says, "Create your drawing here." It got in the way of drawing lines,
and I could not get rid of it. Further, the line drawing would not work in
some areas of the form and not others. Also, individually drawing lines when
I have two rows of side-by-side lines make this unworkable. The lines would
not come out evenly. This is an example of what I am talking about:

Estimated Time Estimated Costs
Research: ______________ _____________
Expenses: ______________ _____________
Travel: ______________ _____________

As you can see, the above lines all need to be the same length, and I was
unable to do that with the drawing technique. I really appreciate your help,
and maybe if I was a little more computer savvy I could make sense of the
instructions. You would think Microsoft would have an easier way to make
lines!

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

There *is* a much easier way to draw lines. To begin with, if you're using
drawing lines, you need to turn off the drawing canvas (the option is on the
General tab of Tools | Options), but you'd probably be happier using a table
with borders applied selectively. If the form is to be filled in online,
you'd be better off inserting form fields (as described in Dian's
tutorials).

Whether you use form fields or not, you can set this up easily in a table.
Use five columns, leaving the second and fourth empty. Put your stubs in the
first and apply Bottom and Inside Horizontal borders to the third and fifth
(into which you may insert text form fields if you want to create a
protected form).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.