Update Linked Documents in a Protected Word Document

[Lon]

I am using Word 2003. I have a primary Word document that I have protected,
using "Protect Document", with Read-Only access, with a few exceptions. The
primary document contains several tables that are in there as linked
documents. When the main document is password protected and users can only
update designated fields, how do I allow users to update to the linked
documents to be included in my primary document?

 

[Cindy M.]

Hi Lon,

I am using Word 2003. I have a primary Word document that I have protected,
using "Protect Document", with Read-Only access, with a few exceptions. The
primary document contains several tables that are in there as linked
documents. When the main document is password protected and users can only
update designated fields, how do I allow users to update to the linked
documents to be included in my primary document?

The first thing I'd check is whether the "Update links on open" checkbox in
Tools/Options/General does the trick.

If that doesn't work it might be due to some security updates for Word 2003
and you could try turning these off in the Registry to see if that makes a
difference (see http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=330079)

If you can't change the Registry, or if that doesn't help, then you only
recourse would be a macro. I think this, stored in the document, should work:

Sub AutoOpen()
ActiveDocument.Fields.Update
End Sub

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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[Lon]

Cindy, thank you for your suggestions. In my version of Word 2003, when a
document is a "protected document", upon opening it, it does not give you the
option to update the links on open. If the document is not "protected" then
when you open it, it does give you the option to update the links. It's just
when it is protected that it doesn't give you the option, even though I have
that option checked. I will look into inserting the macro into the document.
Thanks again for your help.

Lon

 

[Lon]

Cindy, thank you for the macro suggestion. I used it and it worked as
advertised. This seems to be the only way protected documents can update from
their linked objects, is to use this macro. None of the "checked boxes" or
options seemed to work. Thanks again.

Lon