in word create a label within a table cell to tell u what 2 imput

[Paul Mayers]

I have seen colleagues use a label in grey text within a table cell which
tells the writer what to imput in that cell. It will not print and is
written over simply by clicking the cursor onto it and writing over. How is
this done?

eg

a cell will have <date> written in it in the grey text. once it is clicked
on it can be overwritten with the date - particularly useful on a letterhead

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

It's a MacroButton field. See
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/UsingMacroButton.htm

I have seen colleagues use a label in grey text within a table cell which
tells the writer what to imput in that cell. It will not print and is
written over simply by clicking the cursor onto it and writing over. How is
this done?

eg

a cell will have <date> written in it in the grey text. once it is clicked
on it can be overwritten with the date - particularly useful on a

letterhead

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Even more useful in a letterhead template is a CreateDate field. Let your
user type what Word won't do. See http://addbalance.com/word/datefields1.htm
for information on the different kinds of datefields and how to format them.

For the prompt field to not print, it would have to be a macro button field
with the prompt text formatted as hidden and the computer setting set to
display (but not print) hidden text. See
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/fields.htm#MacroButton and
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/UsingMacroButton.htm for more
about macrobutton fields. When you click on a macrobutton field, the entire
field is selected (and replaced by typing). You can use the F11 key to move
to the next field.

Otherwise, take a look at what Word calls 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. These are
limited to only typing in the fields.

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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[Charles Kenyon]

Oops, sorry. Formatting the macrobutton field's prompt as hidden makes it
disappear. Formatting the entire field as hidden makes the text you type in
also hidden. You can make the prompt text a color that does not print.
Yellow works for me.

Instead, though, I generally format my prompt text in colors like Red or
Blue that jump out on the screen so that I do fill them in.
--
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


--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Formatting it as Hidden would guarantee that most users would not see it.
The point is that when you click on a MacroButton field, it is automatically
selected and overwritten as soon as you type a single character.

 

[Caryl]

Paul - since you mentioned dates on a letterhead - here is what I have done.
It works great for letterheads! Even though you will not have the "label".
On a letterhead, particularily my FAX cover sheets - the current date (with
time included if you want) is automattically updated everytime I open that
file. I have inserted a "table" that is one column wide & 1 row in height.
This table is placed where I always want the date to be. Then

Insert>field>field codes> then scroll thru list to find "date". Then you

have the cloice of date format. These instructions work for Word 2003 & are
slightly different for Word 2000 which I use @ work. I have removed the
borders on this table & I never have to worry about the date again!

Also - I found this tip in this discussion group last week & but do not
remember who (was it you Suzanne??Thank you whoever!) - but I love it - so it
bears repeating:
"When using fields, I recommend that you set up fields to always appear with
gray shading on the screen - this makes it easy to distinguish fields from
normal text (select Tools > Options > View tab > Field shading > Always). The
gray shading does not print."