Forms--Word 2007--Text boxes

[Granny]

I created a form in Word 2007. How do I limit the number of characters
someone filling in my form can enter into a text box?

Thank you, in advance.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

If you used a legacy form field, double-click it to display the Text Form
Field Option dialog box (or, select it and click Properties). One of the
settings is Maximum length.

 

[Granny]

Um, what is a legacy form field?

I used the Rich Text box in the Developer tab, Design mode...

The properties for the box doesn't show a length fuction... only the
General, Locking, and Rich Text Properties... Double clicking doesn't show a
length, either...

Thank you, in advance.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

It is a control of the type used in previous versions of Word and for which,
the document needs to be protected for forms. In Word 2007 you insert them
by clicking on the Legacy Controls icon (a folder with a crossed hammer and
spanner) in the bottom row of the items in the Controls section of the
Developer tab, just to the left of the dividing line.

I am not sure that you can limit the length of text entered into a Rich Text
box.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Um, what is a legacy form field?

I used the Rich Text box in the Developer tab, Design mode...

The properties for the box doesn't show a length fuction... only the
General, Locking, and Rich Text Properties... Double clicking doesn't
show a
length, either...

Thank you, in advance.

 

[Cindy M.]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?R3Jhbm55?=,

I created a form in Word 2007. How do I limit the number of characters
someone filling in my form can enter into a text box?

I used the Rich Text box in the Developer tab, Design mode...

The properties for the box doesn't show a length fuction... only the
General, Locking, and Rich Text Properties... Double clicking doesn't show a
length, either...

There is no direct way to set any limitations for the new Content Controls in
Word 2007. It would require some kind of macro code that regulates the amount of
text after-the-fact.

The form field Herb mentions or an ActiveX text box (located in the same
dropdown) is the only way to limit the number of characters that can be typed.
The form field would require protecting the document as a form, which will limit
other things that can be done in the document.

Can you describe in more detail why you want to limit the number of characters,
and how people should be able to work with your form (what kinds of things they
should be able to do)?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply
in the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Granny]

The form is for a survey. I want to limit the number of characters a
respondent can put in a text field so I get reasonable answers and so the
file isn't so large that it will "get stuck" in my email.

Examples:

Limit age box to 3 characters. I doubt I'll get a respondent that is over
999 years old (even Methuselah only lived to be 969 years old).

Limit comments text box to a certain number of characters to facilitate
reading the comments and prevent large files.

 

[Granny]

Thank you for the help!

 

[Cindy M.]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?R3Jhbm55?=,

The form is for a survey. I want to limit the number of characters a
respondent can put in a text field so I get reasonable answers and so the
file isn't so large that it will "get stuck" in my email.

Examples:

Limit age box to 3 characters. I doubt I'll get a respondent that is over
999 years old (even Methuselah only lived to be 969 years old).

Limit comments text box to a certain number of characters to facilitate
reading the comments and prevent large files.

Then I think you'll have no choice but to use the form fields Herb described.
If you're sending this around, including any macro stuff is just asking for
trouble unless you can be certain recipients have the same security settings
as you do.

Mmmm. Are you sure everyone you're sending this to has Word 2007? If they
don't, then you can't use ContentControls since they aren't supported in
earlier versions. Then you will need to use form fields.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail