Check boxes with a check mark?

[gzupcsics]

Is it possible to get Word's 'check boxes' to display with an actua
check mark (instead of an 'X') when selected? If so, can someon
explain how this is done?

Sorry if this should be obvious ... thanks,
Greg

 

[Bruce]

As far as I know, the only way to do that is to insert a
checkbox from the Control Toolbox rather than from the
Forms toolbar it will have a check mark. It will also
have a label. The best workaround I have ever found to
treat it as a stand alone check box is to right click,
select properties, and set the height and width each to
12.75. Click the design symbol on the Control Toolbox to
enable it as a checkbox.
It would probably be better to use the label for all of
the text on that line, if possible. You can use Alignment
at the check box properties to position the check box at
the right or left side of the line (but not in the
center). The problem is that clicking anywhere on the
line will cause the box to be checked or unchecked. You
can also format the check box object to be something other
than in line with the text, which will give you some
control over its position on the page.
Unless there is some trick I have not yet discovered, the
only solution to your question is a series of awkward
workarounds. It is just not a feature that was carefully
thought out, or else it is poorly documented (which is
really the same thing).

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Gzupcsics,

Is it possible to get Word's 'check boxes' to display with an actual
check mark (instead of an 'X') when selected? If so, can someone
explain how this is done?

One way is to use the method Microsoft uses in all its Fax templates
distributed with Word. It consists of a pair of AutoText entries, a
Macrobutton field, and a macro. When the macro button field is
(double-)clicked the macro exchanges the AutoText entries. These
contain (a) an unchecked box and (b) a checked box, both selected from
Insert/Symbol. This means you can use any symbol you like to represent
the checked box.

And: Macrobutton fields work correctly in documents protected as forms.

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

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