Smart tags and "bookmarks"

[Jason]

Hi

I would like to know if smart tags could be used as a "bookmark", thats if
smart tags even behave that way. my goal is to have a form input type
template in Word, where the user will input all the relevant data into the
relevant fields. And when he is done, will create on the "process" button.
from there the code will extract the values from the various places and
process accordingly. so, to identify those fields, one would need a
"bookmark" like "id's" in a web submit form. but unfortunately Word
bookmarks are easily deleted. so my question would be; is it possible to use
smart tags in the same why i have described the way i would use the
bookmarks?

Thanks, hope that made sense
Jason

 

[Lars-Eric Gisslén]

Jason,

No, SmartTags is far from the same as a bookmark. They don't exist in the
document in that sense. SmartTags are actually ActiveX components. Each time
to insert a space or a tab or any other character that separates words your
Recognizer is called in the ActiveX component. The whole paragraph is sent
to the component and you tell Word which words you want to trigger. If you
klick on the right mouse button on one of those words, Word will ask the
ActionHandler in you component which meny items you want to show in the
dropdown meny, depending on which word you selected. Then when a menu item
is selected your component will be called again and your component will
perform the corresponding action. So, you have no control in the document
where the 'smartags' will occure as it's the component that triggers
different words. If you for instance will trigger currency codes like USD,
SEK, THB in you SmartTag component, those words will be triggered in several
Office applications like Word, Excel and Outlook as SmartTags are Office
components and not specific to Word. Further, SmartTags doesn't work in
protected areas of a document and not within FormFields.

We did a few SmartTag components, for demos, when Office XP was released but
that's all. Seems like there has been no demand for them.

In Office 2003 you can solv your problem more easily but I think you want to
solv your problem now.

Regards,
Lars-Eric

 

[mksmith]

Indeed, I think that was all the demand that there was ever likely to be
for them. And if I ever see another stock price example (on Wall Street,
natch!) then I'll scream and scream and scream...

Actually, I have seen them used with some Document Management Systems to a
limited extent but that's about it. And then it was more of a "let's see
if we can do this" sort of thing which was never put into wide usage.

Hilsen
Malc
www.dragondrop.com

 

[Lars-Eric Gisslén]

Malc,

You will get your chance to scream and scream and scream when you will se
the Word 2003 demos!

They have extended the functionality of the SmartTags in 2003 so you can
perform actions directly without using the dropdown meny. And gues what,
they use use the stock prices ones again to demonstrate this

But, in 2003 they have have added the SmartDoc which uses about the same
concept as SmartTags (at code level) but in your code you work with the task
pane. In the task pane you can place most of the controls you normally use
in Dialogs and also ActiveX controls. The SmartDoc is indeed very useful!!
The SmartDoc solutions can be implemented as ActiveX DLL's (as the
SmartTags) or .Net assemblies. I also think it will be a major head ache for
those who have only learned VBA and want to write SmartDoc solutions. It's
far more complex (=expensive) to write those ActiveX components than VBA
macros as you need to manage fully eventdriven solutions and manage states.
So experience in system development will defenately be an advantage.

Regards,
Lars-eric

 

[Jason]

Hmm 2003 sounds really promising...waiting for my update to come along!

Thanks alot for the responses, it's exactly what i have been looking for

Thanks again
Jason