Text Form Field Ref in Footer Won't Update on Screen

[StarWine]

Hi,

I have a number of templates (.dot) that use a text form field (users double
click on the field and enter their document number into the default text
field, change no other options, and click OK) to reference the document
number in the footer of each document page. The reference to the text form
field WAS (in 97) set up as a Field reference to a bookmark. When users
would save their documents in 97, the field would update and they would see
their new document number appear in footer of all the pages if they opened
and closed the document.

In Word 2003, a document from a 97 template, even after being opened and
closed, WILL NOT update the document number in the footer on the screen (they
do print correctly, and IF a print-preview is done THEN the document view
will properly update on the screen, but they refuse to update on screen by
just saving the document, by just saving and re-opening the document). A lot
of our users do their work electronically, save their work, then send it to
another department before it ever gets printed (so they wouldn't be forced
into a print preview or a print, which forces the field updates and the
eventual save).

I have rebuilt the Text Form Field (Inserted a Text Form Field, [type:
regular text, no macro for entry or exit (there was not one set in 97),
bookmark name: doc_num, fill-in enabled (tried with this on and off),
calculate on exit (tried with this on and off)]), and rebuilt the Field
reference (Insert Field, [field name: Ref, bookmark name: doc_num]). I
thought maybe that rebuilding the either of these would have some kind of
affect. I know that there is the option to update fields at print, but we
cannot use that here (we format our TOCs a certain way and if they are
updated after the fact, it ruins some of that formatting).

Is there some way to force the Bookmark to the text field in the footer to
update when the document is saved? Is there a macro that can be built for
this and then distributed to everyone (I don't know how to build macros) or
some other way to do this? Can anyone help?

Thank you so much.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

What you are describing is not the way text form fields were meant to be
used. You're supposed to protect the documents for forms, in which case
users just tab from one form field to the next, entering text. Ordinarily,
you make a cross-reference update automatically by checking the "Calculate
on exit" property in the Form Field Options, but cross-references in the
header or footer may not update without a macro.

 

[StarWine]

I understand that this is not the way this was feature was designed to be
used, but what would you suggest I do instead to get the desired result of a
fill-in area for users to place the document number on one page that will
then duplicate that document number in the footer of each page of the
document?

The document cannot be protected because the end user needs full
capabilities to modify and use styles. I do not want a form for users in
this case, I need a template for documents. Is there some other way to go
about getting what I'm looking for?

Thank you.

What you are describing is not the way text form fields were meant to be
used. You're supposed to protect the documents for forms, in which case
users just tab from one form field to the next, entering text. Ordinarily,
you make a cross-reference update automatically by checking the "Calculate
on exit" property in the Form Field Options, but cross-references in the
header or footer may not update without a macro.

Hi,

I have a number of templates (.dot) that use a text form field (users double
click on the field and enter their document number into the default text
field, change no other options, and click OK) to reference the document
number in the footer of each document page. The reference to the text form
field WAS (in 97) set up as a Field reference to a bookmark. When users
would save their documents in 97, the field would update and they would see
their new document number appear in footer of all the pages if they opened
and closed the document.

In Word 2003, a document from a 97 template, even after being opened and
closed, WILL NOT update the document number in the footer on the screen (they
do print correctly, and IF a print-preview is done THEN the document view
will properly update on the screen, but they refuse to update on screen by
just saving the document, by just saving and re-opening the document). A lot
of our users do their work electronically, save their work, then send it to
another department before it ever gets printed (so they wouldn't be forced
into a print preview or a print, which forces the field updates and the
eventual save).

I have rebuilt the Text Form Field (Inserted a Text Form Field, [type:
regular text, no macro for entry or exit (there was not one set in 97),
bookmark name: doc_num, fill-in enabled (tried with this on and off),
calculate on exit (tried with this on and off)]), and rebuilt the Field
reference (Insert Field, [field name: Ref, bookmark name: doc_num]). I
thought maybe that rebuilding the either of these would have some kind of
affect. I know that there is the option to update fields at print, but we
cannot use that here (we format our TOCs a certain way and if they are
updated after the fact, it ruins some of that formatting).

Is there some way to force the Bookmark to the text field in the footer to
update when the document is saved? Is there a macro that can be built for
this and then distributed to everyone (I don't know how to build macros) or
some other way to do this? Can anyone help?

Thank you so much.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The best way would be a UserForm that collects the data and places it in a
document property. You can then use a DocProperty field where you need the
number repeated. Alternatively, you can write it to a bookmark (see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Userforms/CreateAUserForm.htm). One easy way to
prompt for user text is to use a MacroButton field as described at
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/UsingMacroButton.htm. Such a field
could be bookmarked, but I suspect that overwriting it would also overwrite
the bookmark. ASK and FILLIN fields can also be used for this purpose. See
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/Repeating_Data.htm

I understand that this is not the way this was feature was designed to be
used, but what would you suggest I do instead to get the desired result of a
fill-in area for users to place the document number on one page that will
then duplicate that document number in the footer of each page of the
document?

The document cannot be protected because the end user needs full
capabilities to modify and use styles. I do not want a form for users in
this case, I need a template for documents. Is there some other way to go
about getting what I'm looking for?

Thank you.

What you are describing is not the way text form fields were meant to be
used. You're supposed to protect the documents for forms, in which case
users just tab from one form field to the next, entering text. Ordinarily,
you make a cross-reference update automatically by checking the "Calculate
on exit" property in the Form Field Options, but cross-references in the
header or footer may not update without a macro.

Hi,

I have a number of templates (.dot) that use a text form field (users double
click on the field and enter their document number into the default text
field, change no other options, and click OK) to reference the document
number in the footer of each document page. The reference to the text form
field WAS (in 97) set up as a Field reference to a bookmark. When users
would save their documents in 97, the field would update and they

would
see

their new document number appear in footer of all the pages if they opened
and closed the document.

In Word 2003, a document from a 97 template, even after being opened and
closed, WILL NOT update the document number in the footer on the

screen
(they

do print correctly, and IF a print-preview is done THEN the document view
will properly update on the screen, but they refuse to update on screen by
just saving the document, by just saving and re-opening the document).

A
lot

of our users do their work electronically, save their work, then send

it
to

another department before it ever gets printed (so they wouldn't be forced
into a print preview or a print, which forces the field updates and the
eventual save).

I have rebuilt the Text Form Field (Inserted a Text Form Field, [type:
regular text, no macro for entry or exit (there was not one set in 97),
bookmark name: doc_num, fill-in enabled (tried with this on and off),
calculate on exit (tried with this on and off)]), and rebuilt the Field
reference (Insert Field, [field name: Ref, bookmark name: doc_num]). I
thought maybe that rebuilding the either of these would have some kind of
affect. I know that there is the option to update fields at print, but we
cannot use that here (we format our TOCs a certain way and if they are
updated after the fact, it ruins some of that formatting).

Is there some way to force the Bookmark to the text field in the footer to
update when the document is saved? Is there a macro that can be built for
this and then distributed to everyone (I don't know how to build

macros)
or

some other way to do this? Can anyone help?

Thank you so much.