Form fields causing form to expand

[diane]

Hello!

I've created a form and some of the boxes to be filled in are quite
small. They won't be check boxes though, they'll be text fields with
small size text.

The problem is when I add a form field to those small boxes those small
boxes expand to fit the size of the form field, which then throws the
alignment of the form out of whack.

When I protect the form and then fill it in, the boxes shrink back down
to what they're supposed to be because the text that will eventually go
in the boxes is small enough to fit the original size of the box, but
this isn't a good solution because the form looks ugly and out-of-whack
until it's filled in, which isn't acceptable to my customers.

I've tried adding the form field and then changing the size of the text
for that form field but the form field is still too large and still
expands the box.

Is there any way to add a form field to a small area without the area
expanding to fit the size of form field?

Thank you VERY much for your help and have a great day!!
Diane

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Diane-

Exactly what type of 'form field' are you using, and what are the
'small boxes' you refer to? Word version might also be useful to know.

Regards |:>)

 

[diane]

Hi Cybertaz!

Sorry about that!

Word 2004 v. 11.1

The form field I'm using is the number form field that is created when
clicking on the icon on the toolbar that looks like this --> ab|

The small boxes, I guess I should have referred to them as "small table
cells" rather than "small boxes"...

Thank you for your help!
Diane

 

[CyberTaz]

From what you're saying, it appears you need to go back into the Text
Form Field Options dialog box for each field and set the Maximum Length
property to a specific number of characters (or digits if a number
field). Then set the width of the columns accordingly. If you leave the
max length set as unlimited the field is set to occupy a minimum amount
of space and you can't downsize it manually. If you set the max length
to 2 chars/digits, it will automatically shrink.

HTH |:>)

 

[diane]

Thank you CyberTaz, it worked.

Now for another question...

I need to make the text in those cells go up and down rather than left
to right. I've figured out how to do that, Format > Text Direction

however...

When I change the text direction, the table cell again increases in
size, this time height wise instead of width wise.

I know the form field is small enough to fit in the table cell without
changing the size of it because it'll now fit horizontally without
changing the table cell size but still, every time I change the text
direction the table cell increases in height.

Any more ideas?

Thank you again CyberTaz, have a terrific day!!
Diane

 

[CyberTaz]

Glad it helped.

As for the new issue, how about selecting the row, Table>Table Properties,
and on the Rows page set the row height to "Exactly" what ever height you
need?

Regards |:>)

 

[diane]

You are the BEST CyberTaz! Thank you so much! It worked and I'm a
happy camper, as will my customer now be.

Thank you Thank you, have a terrific day!!
Diane

 

[CyberTaz]

Glad it was useful.

Regards |:>)