ActiveX checkbox resizing

[Andrew Bell]

Hi, I'm using word 2002 and I am attempting to create a
template that allows users of the document to click on
tickboxes (check boxes) as they complete items. And I am
using the control toolbox to insert the check box control,
So far so good.. But the check box that appears in the
document is very small, and I have struggled in vane to
actually resize the checkbox. Using properties it is easy
enough to change font size, control size etc; however the
actual check box remains very very small. Considering
that the rest of the font is 14pt and the box is about a
third of this size, the form looks ridiculous and is not
very user friendly. I just want nice big checkboxes that
are easy to click on. The checkboxes under forms are not
appropriate as they are not a clickable control. Any
suggestions very greatfully received.

Regards
Andrew

 

[Bill Foley]

Actually the checkboxes under the Forms Toolbar are checkable controls as
long as the document is protected, which is usually how forms are set up.
Click the little lock at the right of the toolbar and try clicking the
checkboxes. You might find that a regular on-line form using the Forms
Toolbar is much easier to use!

 

[Andrew Bell]

Many thanks for that advice Bill, yes it will provide a
successful work around for me. I'd still like to know the
answer though..

 

[Andrew Bell]

Actually it won't work for me, as the protect form button
protects the whole document, and I actually need my users
to modify parts of the document and then tick off that
they have done so, with the least bit of trouble as
possible. Which is why I went initially for an ActiveX
checkbox. Perhaps there is some way to protect only a
specific part of a document as a form, leaving the rest
open to be modified? But I'd still like a large ActiveX
check box..

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Yes, you can protect a portion of a document. Insert section breaks and you
will then get an option to protect specific sections. But note that this
does limit Word's functionality in the entire document. But if you
double-click on your ActiveX control, you will open the VBA Editor, which
will allow you to format the control.

 

[Guest]

Suzanne, thanks your response. Double clicking the control
will bring up the VBA editor, which allows code to be
written for the control's actions. And the properties
window will allow modifications of text, formatting,
control placement etc. But I have not been able to find
where I can resize the actual itty bitty check box so that
it is a decent clickable size.

Cheers Andrew

 

[Bill Foley]

Nothing personal, Andrew, but I think you are fighting a losing battle
trying to do this using Control Toolbox controls. As Suzanne mentioned you
can protect "parts" of your document by inserting continuous section breaks
in between the parts you want to protect and not protect. Instead of
clicking the little "lock" on the toolbar, click "Tools", "Protect
document", click "Protect for forms", click the dropdown and select which
parts are protected. Having tried to beat that square peg into that round
hole myself, I switched! HA!

 

[Peter Hewett]

Hi <[email protected]>

Sorry you can't do it. You can't do it in a UserForm and you can't do it in a document.
The ActiveX CheckBox control does not expose any properties that allow you to resize the
checkbox. And as you've found out the checkbox size remains constant regardless of the
actual control size.

HTH + Cheers - Peter

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Andrew,

But the check box that appears in the
document is very small, and I have struggled in vane to
actually resize the checkbox.

I agree with everything Bill, Suzanne and Peter have told
you. I have one more alternative to offer.

Take a look at any of the FAX templates Microsoft delivers
with Word. Double-click one of these, and you'll see how it
changes "mode" (checked/unchecked).

These are plain old symbols, inserted from Insert/Symbol,
and can therefore be resized, colored, etc. Behind the
scenes, you have
- A MacroButton field
- the double-click runs a macro that exchanges the
currently displayed symbol for it's "opposite".
- the symbols are stored as AutoText entries in the
template (to make sure they're always available)
- it's also possible to set Word to react to a single,
rather than double-click

Since you've been trying to use an ActiveX control, macro
security is apparently not an issue. So you might want to
take a look at giving this a try.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update
Sep 30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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