Are the forms toolbar and control toolbox functions incompatible?

[EC]

I am using Word XP to create forms which include Text Form Fields (from the
form toolbar) plus Option Buttons + Check Boxes (from the control toolbox).

The forms are protected and saved as templates. They take a long time to
open, but function fine on several machines, however the control toolbox
functions do not work at all on another bunch of machines after the forms are
saved as Templates (prior to this they seem to work okay)

All computers are running the same version of Office XP. The older bunch of
machines can run the templates and the newer machines do not. All machines
that have been tested with these forms are on the same network.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks

 

[EC]

I have re-tested the protected forms marking them as 'read only', instead of
saving them as templates. The forms now work on all machines. Still, I am
interested to know if the templates SHOULD work... this would be the prefered
option.

 

[EC]

looks as though I spoke too soon... The 'read only' alternative does not not
work either

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi EC,

Although Forms controls and Control Toolbox controls (which are ActiveX)
aren't completely incompatible, they frequently don't play nicely together.

More likely, though, is that the Control Toolbox controls are running afoul
of Word's macro security mechanism, which treats them the same as VBA code
in the document. This is described at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnword2k2/html/odc_activeX.asp
in the third bullet below "Appropriateness for the Task". Because you (the
template developer) can't control how the macro security level is set on any
other user's computer, your controls could be disabled without warning
unless the template is digitally signed.

You could use check boxes from the Forms toolbar instead of those from the
Control Toolbox. Unfortunately, there is no option button control on the
Forms toolbar. Although there's a way to make check boxes behave in a
mutually exclusive manner to simulate option buttons, that requires VBA code
(http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/ExclusiveFmFldChbxs.htm) so it's also
disabled by high security settings.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Essentially these are incompatible. Extraordinary effort and knowledge is
required to put Toolbox controls in a protected form and have them work. In
addition, they will trigger macro warnings. If you don't do it just right,
anything with one of these controls will open in design mode.

You can have checkboxes from the Forms toolbar and you can have them
function as option buttons. What you are talking about is what Word calls an
"online form." Check this in help. For more about online forms, follow the
links at http://addbalance.com/word/wordwebresources.htm#Forms or
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/FillinTheBlanks.htm especially Dian
Chapman's series of articles. You may also want to look at
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/LinesInForms.htm.

Hope this helps,
--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide




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