Auto duplicating regions?

[Mechphisto]

We have a Word (2003 SP3) doc with four postcards on it, each the
same.
We've protected it and created editable regions for a person to type
their own stuff in set fields.
Is there a way to make it so if someone edits region-1 in postcard 1,
it will automatically replicate the change to the corresponding
regions in the other 3 cards? So basically, someone only needs to
change one of the four cards and they'll all 4 match?

Thanks for any suggestions!
Liam

 

[colossos]

If you have used Text Form Fields for the users to enter their data,
these can be bookmarked. In fact, unless you remove them, they are
automatically bookmarked Text 1, Text 2, etc. However, I recommend
changing the default names for sensible names!!! By using the
Bookmarks in the additional 'postcards', the data will be
automagically propagated.

Terry Farrell - MSWord MVP

 

[Mechphisto]

I see, that's interesting. If I found the right info: create a 2nd
field, then in the field CTRL+F9 and between the {} Type "REF
Text1" (or whatever the bookmark name).

But here's an issue: That field then no longer is shaded once you
protect the document. That's not a big deal if the point is to enter
data into one set, and the other 3 sets don't have to be touched. But
what DOES seem to be a deal, is that (from what I can tell) you have
to right-click each duplicated field and "update field" so that it
populates with the root fields' data. And to do that, besides being
tedious, one would need to have the shading so they can see where they
need to right-click "update field".
Unless I'm missing something. Which I probably am. But can't find
it.
Thanks for the help!
Liam

 

[Gordon Bentley-Mix at news.microsoft.com]

Liam,

The 'quick-n-dirty' way to get all of the fields in a document to update is
to simply Print Preview the document - assuming that Word is configured to
update fields on printing (in Word 2003: Tools | Options... and select the
'Update fields' checkbox uner 'Printing options' on the 'Print' tab).

The other way, which is a bit more complicated but doesn't require any user
intervention, is to write a simple OnExit macro that unprotects the document,
updates the fields and re-protects the document again. This macro could be
linked to each formfield or just to the "last" one.

The method for updating the fields via the macro could vary as well. You
could just open and close the Print Preview window (checking first to ensure
that option to update fields on printing is selected), or you could go
through all of the stories in the document (or just the main story if you're
sure that that's the only one that contains fields) and invoke the
appropriate method to update the fields.

The choice of method is up to you, but there are definitely ways around the
problem you have encountered.

BTW, there is an easier way to insert the REF fields. Have a look under
Insert | Reference > Cross-reference... to find functionality for inserting a
cross-reference to a bookmark without having to manually type in the bookmark
name.
--
Cheers!

Gordon Bentley-Mix
Word MVP

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup.

Read the original version of this post in the Office Discussion Groups - no
membership required!

 

[Mechphisto]

Thanks for the Insert / Reference tip. Yeah, that's easier.
I'm afraid I need to come up with a way that doesn't require the end
user to have to change their Word options. So, looks like macro is
going to have to be it.
I'll start researching how to do that.
Thanks for the reply and advice!
Liam

 

[Gordon Bentley-Mix at news.microsoft.com]

Liam,

If you run into any problems, just post a question in the 'Programming'
newsgroup. The propeller heads over there (myself included ;-P) should be
able to help.
--
Cheers!

Gordon Bentley-Mix
Word MVP

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup.

Read the original version of this post in the Office Discussion Groups - no
membership required!

 

[Mechphisto]

Oh! The form field's have a "calculate on exit" option. If that's
selected in the design of the original fields, then it updates the
duplicated fields when focus leaves.
That'll work.

Liam

 

[Gordon Bentley-Mix at news.microsoft.com]

So it does! I didn't know that it worked that way. That's very cool.

Thank you Liam. You taught me something new today. Guess that means I can
take the rest of the day off. ;-D
--
Cheers!

Gordon Bentley-Mix
Word MVP

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup.

Read the original version of this post in the Office Discussion Groups - no
membership required!