Smart tags or vba code

[Colonel Blip]

I have a church bulletin I produce each week. In it are about 15 items for
public service which must be filled in by a person's name. The name list
(about 40 names) does not change very often, but the exact name for each of
the 15 spots changes every week. I thought it might be possible to
create/add smart tags to the document which when activated would provide a
drop down list of all possible names from which I could then pick one.

Is this a 'smart' use of smart tags? (since I've never created one I'm on
extremely thin ice)
Is there an even better/simpler way to do this thru vba code?

Thanks.

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi Colonel

It might make a nice starter project for learning to make smart tags
(something I haven't done yet, either), or maybe a userform. But the
hands-down winner for simplicity and reliability will be an
AutoTextList field. Have a look here:

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/AutoTextList.htm

 

[Colonel Blip]

Thanks. That met the need just fine.

 

[Colonel Blip]

I guess I spoke to soon on this. I took the AutoTextList approach and it
worked fine last week. This week I opened the document and none of my
AutoTextList items were available - there were a bunch but they were the
default ones that get installed with Word. Any idea where this list
disappeared to?

 

[Jay Freedman]

AutoText is always stored in some template. Word makes it harder than it
should be to store them in some template other than Normal.dot, so that's
probably where they were. Did you rename, delete, or otherwise mess up your
Normal.dot recently? Do you have a backup of it?

If you actually did store the AutoTexts in some other template, is that
template either stored in the Startup folder or attached to the current
document?

 

[Colonel Blip]

I checked all of the templates listed in the autocorrect|autotext section
and could not find my list in any of them. There are only 2 templates I use,
Normal and one I built called Custom. I don't recall doing anything to the
Normal.dot. I looked and see that we started this thread 5/16; my last
normal.dot change was 5/15 so now I am really at a loss.

 

[Colonel Blip]

Ok, I open my custom.dot and recreate the autotextlist. Looks good. I then
save.

Next I create a new doc based on normal.dot which has my custom.dot
attached. No list.

I then create a new doc based on my custom.dot and my list is there.

I am doing something stupid. Why isn't my attached custom.dot bringing along
the list?

 

[Jay Freedman]

I want to dig a little deeper into your statement "I create a new doc
based on normal.dot which has my custom.dot attached. No list."
Exactly how did you attach custom.dot, and where is custom.dot stored?

I tried this: I have a template named AutoText.dot that already has
some AT entries defined in it. This template is stored in the User
Templates folder (which is also where Normal.dot is). I created a new
blank document based on Normal.dot. I went to Tools > Templates and
Add-Ins, clicked the Attach button, and selected AutoText.dot. The AT
entries from that template were now available in the document.

Starting over with another new blank document, I went to Tools >
Templates and Add-Ins, and checked the box next to AutoText.dot in the
list of global add-ins (if it isn't already there, click the Add
button and insert it). Again, the AT entries from that template were
now available in the document.

 

[Colonel Blip]

I started with normal.dot out of the box and set up styles I wanted. I then
created my custom.dot, primarily at the time for most of my customizations
to keep them out of normal.dot. I then attached custom.dot to normal.dot and
it appears in the list of addins anytime I open word based on normal.dot.
Both are in my user template folder.

 

[Jean-Guy Marcil]

Bonjour,

Dans son message, < Colonel Blip > écrivait :
In this message, < Colonel Blip > wrote:

|| I started with normal.dot out of the box and set up styles I wanted. I
then
|| created my custom.dot, primarily at the time for most of my
customizations
|| to keep them out of normal.dot. I then attached custom.dot to normal.dot
and

Strictly speaking, you cannot attach a .dot to another .dot. In fact, if you
open a .dot, the attachment part of the "Templates and Add-ins" (Tools menu)
dialogue is greyed out.

So, what is it that you did when you think you attached "custom.dot" to
"normal.dot"?

|| it appears in the list of addins anytime I open word based on normal.dot.
|| Both are in my user template folder.

If you want the autotexts from "custom.dot" to be available at all times,
just put "custom.dot" in the Start-up folder, not the user template one.
--
Salut!
_______________________________________
Jean-Guy Marcil - Word MVP
(e-mail address removed)
Word MVP site: http://www.word.mvps.org

 

[Colonel Blip]

One of the problems of being almost 60 - can't remember details more than a
couple of days ago!! <g>

Using explorer I right clicked on normal.dot, selected Open and got
normal.dot to open. Clicked "Templates and Add-ins" ( isn't greyed out) and
then Add and selected custom.dot.

However, I must have learned something else in the process since I also have
custom.dot in my startup folder.

I guess I better go back and start at the beginning, huh?

 

[Jean-Guy Marcil]

Bonjour,

Dans son message, < Colonel Blip > écrivait :
In this message, < Colonel Blip > wrote:

|||||| I started with normal.dot out of the box and set up styles I
|||||| wanted. I then created my custom.dot, primarily at the time for
|||||| most of my customizations to keep them out of normal.dot. I then
|||||| attached custom.dot to normal.dot and
||||
|||| Strictly speaking, you cannot attach a .dot to another .dot. In
|||| fact, if you open a .dot, the attachment part of the "Templates and
|||| Add-ins" (Tools menu) dialogue is greyed out.
||||
|||| So, what is it that you did when you think you attached "custom.dot"
|||| to "normal.dot"?
||
|| One of the problems of being almost 60 - can't remember details more than
a
|| couple of days ago!! <g>

This is not age related! <g> I'm 40 and I'm in the same boat!
Although I guess it is a nice excuse! Can't wait to be 60!

||
|| Using explorer I right clicked on normal.dot, selected Open and got
|| normal.dot to open. Clicked "Templates and Add-ins" ( isn't greyed out)
and
|| then Add and selected custom.dot.

Ah! Yes, "Templates and Add-ins" is not greyed out, but notice the button
at the top of the dialog that normally let's you attach a template? That
part is greyed out!

--
Salut!
_______________________________________
Jean-Guy Marcil - Word MVP
(e-mail address removed)
Word MVP site: http://www.word.mvps.org