Templates, Custom Controls and Building Blocks

[Andrea Jones]

I like the way that custom controls delineate the area to be edited. Since
the custom control titles disappear if you protect for forms I'm using
read-only protection and using exceptions to allow completion of my custom
controls. However, I also like the functionality of the Quick Parts and
other building blocks such as headers, but when you protect a template so
that users can edit the custom controls they can't then use the quick parts,
etc. Since a user might want to apply a slightly different header to a
document they are editing, or add a DRAFT watermark, or pull in a standard
piece of text from a quick part, is there any way to do this while still
protecting the parts of the document, style sets, etc that you don't want
them to tamper with? Any ideas gratefully received.

A Jones

 

[Jay Freedman]

I like the way that custom controls delineate the area to be edited.
Since the custom control titles disappear if you protect for forms
I'm using read-only protection and using exceptions to allow
completion of my custom controls. However, I also like the
functionality of the Quick Parts and other building blocks such as
headers, but when you protect a template so that users can edit the
custom controls they can't then use the quick parts, etc. Since a
user might want to apply a slightly different header to a document
they are editing, or add a DRAFT watermark, or pull in a standard
piece of text from a quick part, is there any way to do this while
still protecting the parts of the document, style sets, etc that you
don't want them to tamper with? Any ideas gratefully received.

A Jones

Instead of using any kind of editing restriction from the Protect Document
task pane:

- Insert content controls within other text that won't be editable.

- Select the part of the document body (both text and controls) where you
want only the controls to be editable.

- On the Developer ribbon, click Group > Group.

You can repeat the second and third steps as many times as needed, leaving
editable areas between the groups. (This grouping doesn't work with multiple
selections made with the Ctrl key.)

You'll still be able to insert watermarks, quick parts, etc. You can also
apply style restrictions in the Protect Document task pane.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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[Andrea Jones]

Thanks, that works well for plain documents but what should you do if you
want your content controls to be placed in a table? I've grouped the
contents of each cell of the table (as the facility didn't seem to be
available if I selected more than one cell) and used the Properties button to
prevent deletion of the cells I don't want edited but when I try to edit a
custom control it says it is locked, isn't grouping meant to still make
custom controls accessible?

A Jones

 

[Jay Freedman]

To be honest, I hadn't yet tried grouping content controls in a table. Now
I've looked at that variation.

You're correct that you can't group a selection of more than one cell --
more specifically, the Group button is grayed out if the selection contains
a cell marker (which you can see if you turn on nonprinting characters).

However, with or without checking the "cannot be deleted" property, I found
that the content controls in groups were editable. Is it possible that you
checked the "cannot be edited" property in addition or instead?

 

[Andrea Jones]

Maybe I did tick the wrong box or something, I've managed to fill in a
grouped content control in a table now. It's a pity you can't group a whole
row, that would make it much quicker to lock the column headings!

A Jones