Settign tab order in Forms in Word

[Guest]

I've created a form in Word 2003, using the Forms toolbar. I haved placed a
number of the data input fields in their own frame and put several of these
frames on a page. The insertion of the frames was done in a random order,
rather than top to bottom of left to right. My problem is that when I start
at the top and tab through the fields (as if completing the form), the
cursor does not tab down logically through one field and onto the adjacent
field, but jumps around to differtent fields, in no particular order.
Is there a way of defining a custom 'tab order' for the fields in the form I
have created.

 

[Jay Freedman]

I've created a form in Word 2003, using the Forms toolbar. I haved
placed a number of the data input fields in their own frame and put
several of these frames on a page. The insertion of the frames was
done in a random order, rather than top to bottom of left to right.
My problem is that when I start at the top and tab through the
fields (as if completing the form), the cursor does not tab down
logically through one field and onto the adjacent field, but jumps
around to differtent fields, in no particular order. Is there a way
of defining a custom 'tab order' for the fields in the form I have
created.

Because the fields are in frames, the form is going through them in the
order in which their anchors occur. The anchor point of a frame is usually
where the cursor was at the time the frame was created, although the anchor
can be moved later.

To get a visual representation, go to Tools > Options > View and check the
box for "Object anchors". After closing the dialog, select any frame. An
anchor icon will appear in the left margin somewhere on the page -- probably
at the first paragraph on the page. As you select other frames, their
anchors will be displayed. Often you'll find most or all the anchors on a
page are piled up in the same paragraph, so it's impossible to tell what
their order is.

When an anchor is visible, you can grab it with the mouse pointer and drag
it to another paragraph (unless you go to Format > Frame and check the Lock
Anchor box). If there aren't too many frames, you could drag their anchors
one-by-one to separate paragraphs and put them into the order you want to
tab through them.

If that doesn't work for you, you can adapt the macro at
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/SetTabOrder.htm.