Insert a drop-down list in a form

[Lynn]

Help, please, anyone, it is so frustrating and annoying! I did everything i
was told to do, click the develper tab, design mode, drop-down list, and then
added the display name for drop-down list, but in the end, the drop-down list
arrows still didn't appear.


Lynn

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Did you protect the document for forms?

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

 

[Greg Maxey]

Forms in Word2007 using Content Controls do not need to be protected.
Rather than repeating what you were told to do, could you please tell us
what it is that you are trying to do?

Are you trying to create a Word2007 form using a dropdown Content Control or
a form using the legacy form field dropdown control? Are you trying to
populate the dropdown with list entries or are you just trying to give is a
name?

 

[Lynn]

Hi, Greg,
I am trying to create a Word 2007 form using a dropdown Content Control and
populate the dropdown with list entries, but there is no dropdown arrow for
me to click for the list entries after the entries were populated. Is there
a different between using the dropdown Content Control & the legacy form
field dropdown control? Thanks!

Lynn

 

[Lynn]

Hi, Suzanne,
Did i need to protect it for the form i created in 2007 in order for the
drop-down list to work? According to Greg from Word MVP, he said that i
didn't need to protect it. i am a little confused.

Lynn

 

[Greg Maxey]

Hi Lynn,

I understand your question now. I think part of your problem was in the
"doing what you were told part."

You can stay out of "Design Mode" altogehter. To manually insert, populate,
and use a dropdown ContentControl yo take the following steps:

1. Click the Developer Tab
2. Click on the Drop-Down List control in the Controls group.
3. Click on "Properites" in the Control group
a. Give your CC a Title and/or Tag.
b. Use the "Add" button to add the list items
c. Click "OK"

Your dropdown CC is ready to go.

Is there a different between using the dropdown Content Control & the
legacy form field dropdown control?

Yes. While a Content Controls can be part of a protected document it exists
and functions equally as well in an unprotected documents. The legacy form
field dropdown functions only in protectd documents. It is really a matter
of what editing restrictions you want to place on your form user.

Another matter to consider is where your form will be distributed. If you
distribute the form to people that don't have access to Word2007 then a form
containing ContentControls wouldn't work.

I realize that I may have given you cause to ask more question so by all
means fire away.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Only if you used a drop-down form field from the Legacy Forms palette, which
it appears you did not.

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

 

[Graham Mayor]

If you used the new form controls they won't work while you are still in
design mode.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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[Lynn]

thanks! Greg! I followed your instructions, but unfortunately, but i still
didn't see the drop-down list arrow. It just showed me a shaded area that
said "choose an item" and no drop-down arrow to choose an item.

I am wondering if there is something wrong with my computer setting.

 

[Greg Maxey]

Lynn,

I will assume nothing. While the arrow should be visible when you are
populating the dropdown, it isn't shown unless the ContentControl is
selected. Is your CC selected?

You can contact me via the feedback link on my website. If you haven't got
this sorted out, then send me your sample document or I can send you a
document with a working document and perhaps we can sort out the problem.

 

[Lynn]

Hi, Greg,

Thanks for the follow up and your help, i really appreciate it. I just
tried both of your methods on my coworker's computer, and it worked.

I will try to send you the sample document via your web site, and may be you
can help me figure out why it didn't work on my computer. Thanks a million!