Forms & Locking Tables

[akaallice]

I use word to make forms for our office. I use tables to make the forms.
Other people in the office use the forms on the computer (I've taught them to
do 'save as'). Thing is, when they type too much information into the space
alloted on the table, it completely shifts the format of the form, makes the
pages longer, shifts it onto another page, etc. My blank forms that I have
to print out over and over again, are just fine as no one types in them. So
how can I lock the table into place? Too bad I can't get a copy of it on
here for you to look at.

 

[Jay Freedman]

I use word to make forms for our office. I use tables to make the
forms. Other people in the office use the forms on the computer (I've
taught them to do 'save as'). Thing is, when they type too much
information into the space alloted on the table, it completely shifts
the format of the form, makes the pages longer, shifts it onto
another page, etc. My blank forms that I have to print out over and
over again, are just fine as no one types in them. So how can I lock
the table into place? Too bad I can't get a copy of it on here for
you to look at.

In the Table Properties dialog, you can set the row heights of the table to
exact values instead of "at least". That will prevent any overflow of text
from expanding the cell -- it will just disappear below the bottom of the
cell.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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all may benefit.

 

[Idaho Word Man]

What version of Word are you using?

I use Word 2003, and I've had the same problem. The way I "fixed" it was to
guess at about how much space the largest response would take. Then I set the
Table Properties so the row height was "Exactly" that height (not "At Least")
and I unchecked the option to automatically resize cells to fit their
contents. On my form, a row height of 1 inch allowed users to insert up to
five lines of 12-point TNR text.

I haven't had the same kind of problem with column widths shifting as long
as I had the resize option turned off.

That "fixed" the problem of rows kicking over to the next page and changing
the appearance of the form, but it put the problem on the shoulders of the
user. If anybody ever tries to type more than five lines of text in my form,
the sixth line just disappears out of sight. Oops! I guess they'll need to
enter a more concise response, won't they?

I hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Gordon Bentley-Mix on news.microsoft.com]

For Text type form fields you can also set a maximum length. Given that the
average word in English (including spaces) is somewhere between 5 and 7
characters, you can make a best guess as to the maximum length based on the
maximum number of words you want.

For example, Fred the Spud's 5 lines of 12-pt TNR text on an A4 page with
2.54 cm (1 in) margins is around 430 characters. YMMV...
--
Cheers!

Gordon Bentley-Mix
Word MVP

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[BB]

i am also working in Word 2003 and when I set the table properties to Exactly
to the height i choose (0.2") and uncheck the option to automatically resize
cells and also uncheck "Wrap text" under the Option tab for the cells, the
document self-changes itself back to Row Height to "At Least". I can't get
it to keep "Exactly" as my choice.

 

[BB]

i am working in Word 2003 and can't get Table Properties to allow me to set
the row height as Exactly when i click on the Row tab, specify height at 0.2"
and choose "Exactly". I unchecked the autosize to fit contents and I
unchecked "Wrap Text on the Cell Tab. is there a glitch in Word 2003 program
or am I missing something?