I believe I have resolved the problem using fields. The construction is
complex, but seems to do the business
{ If { Dropdown1 } " *" "{ Set A 1 }{ Set W { Dropdown1 } }" "{ Set A
0 }{ Set W 0 }" }{ If { Dropdown2 } " *" "{ Set B 1 }{ Set X {
Dropdown2 } }" "{ Set B 0 }{ Set X 0 }" }{ If { Dropdown3 } " *" "{ Set C
1 }{ Set Y { Dropdown3 } }" "{ Set C 0 }{ Set Y 0 }" }{ If { Dropdown4 }
" *" "{ Set D 1 }{ Set Z { Dropdown4 } }" "{ Set D 0 }{ Set Z 0 }" }{ =
({W } + { X } + { Y } + { Z }) / ({ A } + { B } + { C } + { D })}
It works on the principle of establishing whether the field has a value or
not (assuming at least one space for a blank entry) and setting two
bookmarks for each field thus
{ If { Dropdown1 } " *" "{ Set A 1 }{ Set W { Dropdown1 } }" "{ Set A
0 }{ Set W 0 }" }
You can then add the bookmarks W,X,Y & Z and the bookmarks A, B, C & D and
divide the former by the latter to get the average of the completed fields.
--
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
My web site
www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site
http://word.mvps.org
"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
Thinking further on this, the following macro will apply the average of
the completed dropdown fields to a document variable varAverage. You can
use a docvariable field to reproduce the content of that variable.
Sub AverageOfDropdowns()
Dim strData As String
Dim strNum() As String
Dim i As Single, iNum As Single
Dim iSubT As Single, iAverage As Single
Dim oVars As Variables
Dim DD1 As FormField, DD2 As FormField
Dim DD3 As FormField, DD4 As FormField
strData = ""
With ActiveDocument
Set DD1 = .FormFields("Dropdown1")
Set DD2 = .FormFields("Dropdown2")
Set DD3 = .FormFields("Dropdown3")
Set DD4 = .FormFields("Dropdown4")
Set oVars = .Variables
If InStr(1, DD1.Result, Chr(32)) = False Then
strData = strData & DD1.Result & Chr(44)
End If
If InStr(1, DD2.Result, Chr(32)) = False Then
strData = strData & DD2.Result & Chr(44)
End If
If InStr(1, DD3.Result, Chr(32)) = False Then
strData = strData & DD3.Result & Chr(44)
End If
If InStr(1, DD4.Result, Chr(32)) = False Then
strData = strData & DD4.Result & Chr(44)
End If
If Right(strData, 1) = Chr(44) Then
strData = Left(strData, Len(strData) - 1)
End If
End With
If strData "" Then
strNum = Split(strData, Chr(44))
For i = 0 To UBound(strNum)
iNum = Val(strNum(i))
iSubT = iNum + iSubT
Next i
iAverage = iSubT / (UBound(strNum) + 1)
oVars("varAverage").Value = iAverage
Else
oVars("varAverage").Value = "No data"
End If
End Sub
http://www.gmayor.com/installing_macro.htm
--
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
If the average is not to include blank fields then it may not be possible
to do this without using macros - at least I cannot think of a way.
However it has to be said that mathematics was never my stongest subject
and our resident field expert is away on a trip and may not pop in to
this forum for a while. 
--
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
"Elaine" wrote in message
...
Thanks very much for that. I have to have blanks (they are spaces)
rather
than zeros, and if the user leaves a field blank then the average is not
to
include that field. I'll have a play around with it and see how I get
on.
Cheers.
"Graham Mayor" wrote:
You cannot have blanks in a dropdown field. You must either enter a
zero or
a series of spaces for a blank entry. A zero would be better as it
avoids
the need to error trap the spaces. Either way the average will be an
average
of the four cells. You will also need to reference the bookmark names
of
the dropdown fields (here Dropdown1 to Dropdown4) rather than the
containing
cells. Check the calculate on exit check boxes of (at least) the last
contributing field and the use would have to tab out of that field to
force
the calculation.
{ =Average ({ IF{ Dropdown1} " *" "{ Dropdown1 }" "0" }, { IF{
Dropdown2}
" *" "{ Dropdown2 }" "0" }, { IF{ Dropdown3} " *" "{ Dropdown3 }"
"0" }, { IF{ Dropdown4} " *" "{ Dropdown4 }" "0" }) \# "0" }
All the bracket pairs {} are inserted with Ctrl+F9
--
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
"Elaine" wrote in message
news
I am working on a form (in Word 2002!) that has dropdown boxes in a
column
of
table cells where the user selects either 1, 2, 3 or leaves blank.
At the
bottom of the column I'd like to have a calculation that averages the
results
of the those dropdown boxes. Is this possible? Currently my formula
is
=AVERAGE(H2:H5). It appears that the formula doesn't recognise
whatever's
in
the dropdown boxes.
Any help much appreciated.
.