Allowing more (selective) formatting in a protected document

[GordonM]

I have developed a form which is intended to be protected so that features
such as check-boxes, drop-down lists etc can be used and so that there is
some control over formatting. However, my users are complaining that they
would like to use some additional formatting features, which the protection
is preventing. This includes underlining, bolding and bulleted lists. The
only solution that I have found so far is to allow users to switch between
protected and unprotected modes. However, there are dangers in allowing this
and it requires instructions to be much more complicated. I am wondering
whether it might be conceivable to use a macro to permit some formatting
features in the protected mode.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you
GordonM

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Perhaps you should be using a userform instead as that does not require the
document to be protected.

See the article "How to create a Userform" at:

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Userforms/CreateAUserForm.htm


--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[GordonM]

Thank you, Doug. I'll try the userform route.

Thank you
Gordon

 

[GordonM]

Doug (or whoever may be interested in replying) - I have looked at the
possibility of using userforms and am not clear whether they can do what I
need. Some of the web references are still talking about protecting the
document, which is what I am finding to be a limitation.

I should describe specifically what I am trying to do (this is what the
current form does, but it requires the user to switch between protected and
unprotected modes).

The document (this is a performance evaluation document) is made up of a
series of tables into which users need to put text. There are also some
check-boxes (within the tables), which confirm that certain things have been
accomplished. In addition, there are some drop-down lists (also within the
tables) from which a specific item needs to be selected by the user.

The problem is the text entry into the text boxes. I want to be able to
allow users to do things like underlining, bolding and making bulleted lists.
The current form can only allow users to do this if protection is turned
off. I want to avoid users having to switch between protected and
unprotected.

With respect to userforms I also don't want the user to have to deal with
dialogue boxes. Basically, I would like the form to look exactly as it is at
the moment, but to avoid the protection/unprotection issue.

I am still not sure, from my reading that the userform approach is going to
give me what I need.

Thank you
GordonM

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Document protection is not required if you go the userform route. It is the
route that I would take to do what you describe.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Russ]

Gordon,
FWIW, I agree with Doug. You don't even have to use a protected form at all
or use it just as a template for printing purposes where the user doesn't
enter any data there at all. Some of those other messages were talking about
using both for data entry.
You can make a large Userform that looks exactly like the layout of your
previous on-line form to gather the data, if that is what you want. And even
reuse your previous form only for printing purposes by filling out the form
with the data you collected through the Userform. Or create another document
template for printing purposes that has bookmarks or reference fields where
the Userform data is placed.

As Greg says here at his site, the Userform is the Cadillac method of
gathering information.
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/Repeating_Data.htm

 

[GordonM]

Doug/Ross - Thank you for confirming that I should be able to undertake my
project with a userform. It's, therefore, probably worthwhile for me to
spend more time on this possibility by learning more about userform design.

Thank you
Gordon