Hi,

I am using OWord 2003 and have created a form for users to complete.

Is there any way to change the colour of the "shading" of form fields -
rather than just on/off?

Also, can the size that the actual fields appear when shaded be altered?
The fields reside within a cell of a table and ideally I would like the user
to be able to click within the cell which would also be the field. At the
moment the field is a fraction of the size of the cell so the user has to
click right on the field otherwise the typing goes into the cell.

Many thanks!

I know of no way to change the shading color or the size of the text in an
uncompleted field. If you are using form fields, the document needs to be
protected to enable the fields. Then the user simply tabs from field to
field. If you are doing something else than a protected form, you probably
want to be using macrobutton fields. See
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide...tm#MacroButton and
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/TblsFl...acroButton.htm for more
about macrobutton fields. A macrobutton field will select the entire field
when the user left-clicks on it. With any field in an unprotected form the
F11 key will select the next field.

If these are fields inserted using the forms toolbar, we are talking about
is what Word calls an "online form." Check this in help. For more about
online forms, follow the links at
http://addbalance.com/word/wordwebresources.htm#Forms or
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...nTheBlanks.htm especially Dian
Chapman's series of articles. You may also want to look at
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFl...nesInForms.htm.

Hope this helps,
--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.


"N. Cotton" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I am using OWord 2003 and have created a form for users to complete.

Is there any way to change the colour of the "shading" of form fields -
rather than just on/off?

Also, can the size that the actual fields appear when shaded be altered?
The fields reside within a cell of a table and ideally I would like the
user
to be able to click within the cell which would also be the field. At the
moment the field is a fraction of the size of the cell so the user has to
click right on the field otherwise the typing goes into the cell.

Many thanks!

Thanks a lot for the reply.

It is aprotected form. Basically, I complete most of the fields on the form
from within Access and email the form to the users to correct and complete
the missing information (this is then imported back into the Access db).

I have managed to change the shading of the fields simly using "borders and
shading" and selecting "Apply to Text" so at least the user can see easily
which part of a cell to click in now for the field.

The field obviously expands up to the width of the cell if the user types
into it. I would rather the field be that width, even if it's empty.

I'm not sure if it can be done or not.

Thanks again!

"Charles Kenyon" wrote:

I know of no way to change the shading color or the size of the text in an
uncompleted field. If you are using form fields, the document needs to be
protected to enable the fields. Then the user simply tabs from field to
field. If you are doing something else than a protected form, you probably
want to be using macrobutton fields. See
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide...tm#MacroButton and
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/TblsFl...acroButton.htm for more
about macrobutton fields. A macrobutton field will select the entire field
when the user left-clicks on it. With any field in an unprotected form the
F11 key will select the next field.

If these are fields inserted using the forms toolbar, we are talking about
is what Word calls an "online form." Check this in help. For more about
online forms, follow the links at
http://addbalance.com/word/wordwebresources.htm#Forms or
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...nTheBlanks.htm especially Dian
Chapman's series of articles. You may also want to look at
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFl...nesInForms.htm.

Hope this helps,
--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.


"N. Cotton" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I am using OWord 2003 and have created a form for users to complete.

Is there any way to change the colour of the "shading" of form fields -
rather than just on/off?

Also, can the size that the actual fields appear when shaded be altered?
The fields reside within a cell of a table and ideally I would like the
user
to be able to click within the cell which would also be the field. At the
moment the field is a fraction of the size of the cell so the user has to
click right on the field otherwise the typing goes into the cell.

Many thanks!

You can make the default text for a field a series of non-breaking spaces
(Ctrl-Shift-Spacebar) to fill up the space.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

"N. Cotton" wrote in message
...
Thanks a lot for the reply.

It is aprotected form. Basically, I complete most of the fields on the
form
from within Access and email the form to the users to correct and complete
the missing information (this is then imported back into the Access db).

I have managed to change the shading of the fields simly using "borders
and
shading" and selecting "Apply to Text" so at least the user can see easily
which part of a cell to click in now for the field.

The field obviously expands up to the width of the cell if the user types
into it. I would rather the field be that width, even if it's empty.

I'm not sure if it can be done or not.

Thanks again!

"Charles Kenyon" wrote:

I know of no way to change the shading color or the size of the text in
an
uncompleted field. If you are using form fields, the document needs to be
protected to enable the fields. Then the user simply tabs from field to
field. If you are doing something else than a protected form, you
probably
want to be using macrobutton fields. See
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide...tm#MacroButton and
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/TblsFl...acroButton.htm for more
about macrobutton fields. A macrobutton field will select the entire
field
when the user left-clicks on it. With any field in an unprotected form
the
F11 key will select the next field.

If these are fields inserted using the forms toolbar, we are talking
about
is what Word calls an "online form." Check this in help. For more about
online forms, follow the links at
http://addbalance.com/word/wordwebresources.htm#Forms or
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...nTheBlanks.htm especially
Dian
Chapman's series of articles. You may also want to look at
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFl...nesInForms.htm.

Hope this helps,
--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.


"N. Cotton" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I am using OWord 2003 and have created a form for users to complete.

Is there any way to change the colour of the "shading" of form fields -
rather than just on/off?

Also, can the size that the actual fields appear when shaded be
altered?
The fields reside within a cell of a table and ideally I would like the
user
to be able to click within the cell which would also be the field. At
the
moment the field is a fraction of the size of the cell so the user has
to
click right on the field otherwise the typing goes into the cell.

Many thanks!