Text fields on forms are locked when you click a checkbox

[nas]

I am creating a form using Word 2007. On the Developer I am selecting
legacy & Active X tools for text fields, dropdown lists,
checkboxes and radio buttons.

I've protected the document and everything seems great. Unfortunately,
though when people test the file, we've uncovered that whenever a checkbox or
radio
button is selected, all of the text fields are locked for edit, regardless
of their location within the form.

I cannot figure out why this is happening. All the text fields have been
created in the same way and have the same settings. Users can edit them
without problem until they click a checkbox any where in the document. Then,
for some reason, they can never edit the text fields.

Is this a bug with the product or am I missing some critical step in the
process?

 

[Stefan Blom]

I suspect that the ActiveX controls are the problem here. Any document with
ActiveX controls will be in Design mode when you open it (this is a macro
security setting), and therefore you cannot make use of the fields. Use
*only* legacy form fields, if you need backward compatibility.

 

[nas]

HI Stefan,

My file does not need to be backward-compatible. Everyone will have Word 2007.

I am creating a table with a list of product names in one column, each
product name preceded with a checkbox. In the next column, the word "Version"
appears with a text control for the user to type the version number of the
product they are selecting.

To create these items, I used the "checkbox active X control" for the
checkbox before the product name. To create the text input field, I used the
"plain text content control".

When I give this file to users, they can enter text into the text input
fields without problem unless they select a checkbox. As soon as they select
the checkbox, they can no longer enter text in the area where I have inserted
the "plain text content control".

I get this same issue when I use the "checkbox form field" for the checkbox
rather than the "checkbox active X control".

It doesn't seem to me as though there should be any problem with this.
(There is nothing in the product Help to indicate that I cannot use various
controls in conjunction with each other.)

I am now wondering if it is the filetype. I have tried saving the document
as a .docm file and a .docx file. The same thing happens for both file
types....

 

[Graham Mayor]

Legacy form fields and check boxes require the document to be protected.
Word 2007 content controls and ActiveX controls do not. Thus you cannot mix
the two. You should be able to use Active X check boxes and 2007 content
controls, but to limit the user to completing only the parts of the form
that you require completing I would suggest you use all legacy form fields
and protect the document.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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