WD97: How to Force a User to Enter Data into a Form Field (233230)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q233230

SUMMARY

This article demonstrates a sample Visual Basic for Applications macro you can adapt to your form document to force a user to enter text into a text form field. When the user enters a form field, the macro runs and checks the value of the previous form field. If the previous form field does not contain any data, the macro forces the user back to the form field that requires data entry.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements. In the following sample, there are three sequential text form fields in a document. The bookmark names and the layout for the form fields are as follows: 
Text1       Text2      Text3
To force the user to enter data into the "Text2" form field, create the following macro: 
Sub ForceText2Entry()

   On Error Goto fError
   If ActiveDocument.FormFields("Text2").Result = "" Then
      MsgBox "You must enter text in the Text2 formfield."
      Selection.GoTo wdGoToBookmark, Name:="Text2"
   End If
   Exit Sub

fError:
   MsgBox Err.Description

End Sub
Then set the "Text3" form field Run macro on - Entry option to the macro name ForceText2Entry.

NOTE: To force text entry for other or all form fields, you must create a separate macro for each form field and then set the Run macro on - Entry option to the corresponding macro.

To set a macro to the Run macro on option:
  1. On the Tools menu, click Unprotect Document.

    NOTE: If the document is already unprotected, the Tools menu displays Protect Document.
  2. Click to select the form field for which you want to edit the form field options.
  3. On the View menu, point to Toolbars and then click to select Forms.
  4. On the Forms toolbar, click Options.
  5. In the Run macro on section, scroll through the list of macros to select the macro you want to run either on Entry or on Exit.

REFERENCES

For more information about how to use the sample code in this article, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

173707 OFF97: How to Run Sample Code from Knowledge Base Articles

For more information about form fields, click the Office Assistant, type form fields, click Search, and then click to view "form fields."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Help is not installed on your computer, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

120802 Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office Program or Component

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/11/2006
Keywords:kbdtacode kbinfo kbProgramming KB233230
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