Design Mode

[Rob]

To Anyone That Can Help:

When I open a Word document (MS Word 2000) that utilizes
Check Boxes, the file opens in VB Design Mode. The problem
is that the Check Boxes won't work until the user selects
Exit Design Mode.

How do I turn off the VB Design Mode feature so that when
I open a Word file that utilizes Check Boxes, it is not in
VB Design Mode.

I would like to thank you in advance for your assistance.

Regards,

Rob

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi, Rob,

Design mode appears because you have macro security set to High, which
disables not only macros but also the ActiveX controls from the Control
Toolbox toolbar. You need to go to Tools > Macros > Security and set the
level to Medium; then, when opening the document, click the Enable button in
the dialog that warns about possible viruses.

Each user will have to do the same. There is no way that your document can
modify another user's security level.

 

[Mark Tangard]

Hi Rob,

If you're talking about ActiveX checkbox controls (the kind
you insert using the "Control Toolbox") rather than checkbox
formfields (the kind you insert using the Forms toolbar),
the reason the doc opens that way is because macro security
is set to high. (ActiveX controls use macro code to function.)

If this document is just for your own use, you can get
around this by either lowering your security level to
medium (Tools­> Macros­> Security). If it's going places,
you have quite a conundrum, which for many people is not
worth the hassle; the smarter option is to use formfields
and a protected form document instead. These have their
limitations as well, but they do at least behave. Further,
ActiveX controls were not originally intended to be used
embedded in regular documents, so they're notoriously
unreliable. (On some PCs the only thing they do reliably
is cause crashes.)

More on protected forms:
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/FillinTheBlanks.htm

See also userforms (not the same thing but far more powerful
and flexible):
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Userforms/CreateAUserForm.htm