can you format template fields in MS Word?

E

evy

I'm just learning Word and things it can do. I would like to expand the
shaded field box. It seems that the default is short.

Also, is there a way to keep a field in its place. i.e. if there are 3
fields on one line, and the first field exceeds "X" number of characters, the
second field will move to the right and so will the third..... so
occasionally the third drops down a line and before you know the pagination
is way off
 
C

Cooz

Hi evy,

I am not sure what box you mean by the shaded field box. Could you elaborate
on that?

Tables are a great way to align items and keep them in place. If the three
fields you mention should always stay on the same line, create a 1 row-3
column table on the line. Place each field in its own cell.

You cannot impose a maximum amount of characters for fields - but you can
specify a maximum row height and cell width (under Table | Table
properties... ). If a field gets too big for its cell, the characters that
don't fit won't be visible. This produces more or less the same result.

Good luck,
Cooz
 
C

Charles Kenyon

What you seem to be talking about is what Word calls a "text form field" in
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.

You can change the size of a blank form field by putting default text of
consecutive non-breaking spaces. You create a non-breaking space by pressing
Ctrl-Shift-Spacebar. You can at the same time limit the number of characters
in a field. Note that a paragraph mark counts as one character in this
limit. Most users constrain the size of fields by placing them in fixed-size
table cells or frames. That is explained in the last link above.

Don't skip the other articles, though. Otherwise you'll end up redoing a lot
of your forms as you run into problems that the articles would help you
avoid.

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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