ASK, FILLIN, & REF fields (Word 97 )

[SDGardella]

Okay, I give up. I've been mucking about with this little project of mine for several hours now and I'm starting to get bleary eyed, and tired; so, here goes......

I'm working on a search warrant form I intend to save as a template when completed. In this template I'd like to have various fields, for names, addresses, evidence to search for, etc. Some of these fields are repeated in the search document/warrant itself. What I'd like to do is have the user prompted for the required information and, as it is entered, have that information copied/repeated in the other applicable parts of the form. I've been messing with FILLIN, ASK, and REF fields but to no avail.

When I get a field set up, say the field that will contain the list of evidence for which an Officer needs to search, the cursor stays on that field even after the information has been entered. That is to say, I cannot tab to another field to enter other information. I can unprotect the form and then re-protect it, which results in the old field entries being erased but I still cannot go to succeeding fields once I've answered the prompt.

While I'm on the subject, is there a way for a user to be prompted for the required field entry info as they reach that particular field when filling out the form? I may have found the answer to this particular question by using the "d" switch in the ASK field BUT the field shows an error message until an entry is made in that particular field, then it shows the entry. The error message I receive, BTW, is that the source of the information is unknown.

I've also tried entering an expression in the subsequent (repeated) fields showing that the data in the subsequent field is equal to the data entered earlier in the first instance of the field but that did not work.

I'm sure the answer to this question is simple. I just cannot imagine my having stumbled on a problem of first impression here. The on-line Help files are a bit helpful, at least as far as syntax, but for general use & application it just does not get the job done. So, any help will be greatly appreciated.

Also, I've attached a copy of the warrant file for your reference if needed.

Thanx,

Steve D. Gardella

[gwhitfield]

Steve,

I'm in the same industry- but another continent, and another time zone. But the ways of doing this are applicable across industries.

I've done it in the complex way of creating a "wizard" when a document is created, with dialog boxes and then creating a form. But that gets complex.

The other way I'd do it is with form fields. You may be familiar with this, but I'll step through just in case.

Create a new document, put in the appropriate text. Select from the menu, "View, Toolbars, Forms". You will get a new toolbar.

Where you put in a person's name, position your cursor, and click on the "ab" button on your new toolbar. (Also click on the button with "a" and crosshatch background- that will help you see your new form field).

Double click on the new field, enter a name in the "Bookmark" name (say "PersonName"), and ensure the "Calculate on exit" is clicked.

Enter the other text. Where you want the name repated, click on "Insert, Field, Links and References", and select "Ref". Click on Options (NOT on "OK"). Select the "Bookmarks" tab. Select the "PersonName" from the list, Click on " Add to field", and click on OK. Twice.

We're nearly there- don't panic.

Tools, Protect document, protect for forms.

A sample is attached.

[SDGardella]

Geoff,

THANK YOU for the help. Your suggestions paid off. I'm now the proud owner of a working template.

I checked out your attached example too. I'm curious though, as to why the field name appears twice after the REF name? When I toggle the second field's properties it shows REF name name

Also, let's get really fancy now. Any idea as to how I could get my list of evidence to be number bulleted AND to have those same bullets copied into the mirrored field? I tried it on my own and the numbering in the second field (what I've been calling the "mirrored" field) picks up where the initial field numbers left off. Any suggestion/s?

With which agency are you serving? I'm a Patrol Sergeant with 20 years on the job, 12 of which was in Investigations, specializing in drug cases and child sexual abuse.

Thanks again for your help.

-Steve-

[gwhitfield]

Steve,

Glad you got something going.

I'm not sure why two references. When I removed one, it still worked. No sleep lost there.

I work on the IT side. It's nice to get a direct feedback from an officer on the other side of the world I could help- it doesn't happen much here. We don't get much feedback in the back office how our stuff gets accepted.

About mirroring bulleed points. That really gets fancy. I'd be doing that with a dialog box up front, or a macro, into which you enter your points. Then have it copied when you press the "OK". Or have a button which duplicates on an event.

The form fields I've used have the limitation that you can't format for numbering (or other things), you can't spell check, etc. They're great for the small jobs, but don't really hack it for the big jobs. to do what you want.

However, reading what you've said, I'm surprised you even got bulleting to work.

On the "mirrored" field, can you, in unprotected mode, do something like, Format, Bullets and numbering, and click on the "restart numbering" option box instead of the "continur previous list", which is the default.

[SDGardella]

Geoff,

I like your "restart numbering" idea and will try it later, after my duty tour, as I'm now getting ready to hit the sack for a few hours before work.

You did not mention your agency/location. Just curious.

Sorry to hear you don't get much feedback from users in your Department/Agency. My wife works IT in our local hospital and the stories she sometimes tells me about their service users would ###### off Mother Theresa (God rest her soul). sometimes it makes me wonder if they (the service users) really did go to college because they seem to even not have the sense the Lord gave to plankton.

Hope you have/had a good day. Thanks again for your time.

-Steve-

-Steve-