Link Field Won't Update-Word 2003

[Phil Rabichow]

I'm wondering if someone could check something strange. I have Word 2003,
SP2 & all updates.

1. I enter a text formfield & call the bookmark "name".
2. I copy & Paste Special/Paste link the formfield to some point below the
original.

At this point, it updates the way it should.

3. Now I enter three more fields somewhere in the document: a text
formfield, a formula, & another text formfield.

{ FORMTEXT } (which I bookmarked Quantity, & then the following IF field)

{ IF { REF Quantity } < 101 "{ ={ REF Quantity }*50 }" "{ IF { REF Quantity
} < 501 "{ ={ REF Quantity }*25 }" "{ ={ REF Quantity }*20 }" }" }

{ FORMTEXT }

My IF field updates fine. Then I do the following:
1. I tab to the name field & type a name.
2. I tab or shift+tab to the next field & the OLE field updates.
3. I tab or shift+tab to a couple more formfields, the name in the OLE
field disappears. The only way to get it back is to go back to the original
formfield & retype the name.

I read http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895481/en-us, which is a description
of a hotfix from March 11, 2005, describing this problem (about a 1/3 of the
way down the page, just before the red font). But that issue was supposedly
resolved in SP2.

Can anyone who uses Word 2003 test this out or give me a solution?

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Instead of using Copy>Paste Special, you should insert a cross reference to
the text of the bookmark "name" and in the Properties dialog for that
formfield, you should check the "Calculate on exit" 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

 

[Phil Rabichow]

Hi Doug:
Thanks for responding. Yes, using the REF field does work. It's just that the
copy>Paste Special should work, also. I've also selected the formfield. right
clicked & dragged it, & chosen "Link here". That, of course, gives me the same
result as Paste Special.

With a little more experimenting, I found that the problem exists even when I
don't have the IF field in the form. Once I tab to a previous formfield & back,
the OLE field result disappears.

I just can't figure out why the Paste Special updates when I tab out to the next
(or previous) formfield, & then disappears when I tab further in a protected
form. Does this happen with your version of Word?

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Using a Ref field works. Why bother with one that doesn't?

--
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

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Phil,

I *think* what's happening here has nothing to do with a bug. It's a function
of how OLE link is designed to work in this case. The LINK field updates when
the bookmarked content it references CHANGES. The REF field updates when the
*field* receives the command to update. But apparently, if you force the
update on the LINK field containing a form field, it updates to the formfield
default (put something in the default box and you'll see it).

If I try this with bookmarked text - no formfield - the information doesn't
change when fields update.

I'm wondering if someone could check something strange. I have Word 2003,
SP2 & all updates.

1. I enter a text formfield & call the bookmark "name".
2. I copy & Paste Special/Paste link the formfield to some point below the
original.

At this point, it updates the way it should.

3. Now I enter three more fields somewhere in the document: a text
formfield, a formula, & another text formfield.

{ FORMTEXT } (which I bookmarked Quantity, & then the following IF field)

{ IF { REF Quantity } < 101 "{ ={ REF Quantity }*50 }" "{ IF { REF Quantity
} < 501 "{ ={ REF Quantity }*25 }" "{ ={ REF Quantity }*20 }" }" }

{ FORMTEXT }

My IF field updates fine. Then I do the following:
1. I tab to the name field & type a name.
2. I tab or shift+tab to the next field & the OLE field updates.
3. I tab or shift+tab to a couple more formfields, the name in the OLE
field disappears. The only way to get it back is to go back to the original
formfield & retype the name.

I read http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895481/en-us, which is a description
of a hotfix from March 11, 2005, describing this problem (about a 1/3 of the
way down the page, just before the red font). But that issue was supposedly
resolved in SP2.

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
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[Phil Rabichow]

Hi Doug & Cindy:
Thanks to both of you for responding.

Doug, you're right that I can use something that works. It's just that I wasn't
sure if one of my Office updates didn't really work, despite the fact that
Help/About says SP2. I had a previous problem with SP2 not fixing something it
was supposed to fix.

Cindy: Yes, I think that's what's happening; I just never noticed it before. The
article does make me think it could be a bug, as I would think that at least some
people use the right click menu to create protected forms. I guess I'm always
experimenting. <g>

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Phil,

I guess I'm always
experimenting. <g>

A person after my own heart Keep 'em coming!

Cindy Meister