Word Forms

[David G.]

I made a document in Word that includes Text boxes and Option boxes made with
the Control Tool Box. I add protection selecting "Filling in Forms". I then
save & close the document. Upon opening, Word opens with the Control ToolBox
toolbar and the fields are ready to be edited for properties. I cannot use
the form as intended. I must remove protection and exit Design Mode in order
for the form fields to work. What am I doing wrong? I want to distribute so
personnel may enter data in Text Boxes and option boxes only.

Thanks in advance for your knowledge!

 

[Jay Freedman]

I made a document in Word that includes Text boxes and Option boxes made with
the Control Tool Box. I add protection selecting "Filling in Forms". I then
save & close the document. Upon opening, Word opens with the Control ToolBox
toolbar and the fields are ready to be edited for properties. I cannot use
the form as intended. I must remove protection and exit Design Mode in order
for the form fields to work. What am I doing wrong? I want to distribute so
personnel may enter data in Text Boxes and option boxes only.

Thanks in advance for your knowledge!

Two things:

- The things on the Control Toolbox are ActiveX controls, which Office treats
the same as macros in terms of antivirus security. When they're in a document,
and the user's macro security level is High, the controls (and any macros) are
disabled and Design Mode is turned on. If the security level is set to Medium,
the user will be asked whether to enable macros (it doesn't mention controls,
but that's included); if they click the Disable button, again the controls will
be in Design Mode. See
<http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa140269(office.10).aspx> for more on
these controls.

- "Protection for filling in forms" is for use with form fields, not with
Control Toolbox controls. There are text form fields, but no option buttons, in
the Forms toolbar. You can use a dropdown form field instead. If you want to try
to make check box form fields act as option buttons, see
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/ExclusiveFmFldChbxs.htm, but
understand that this solution uses macros and thus has the same security problem
as Control Toolbox items.