You receive the "can't move focus to the control" error message when you approve or reject existing list items (831107)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services

SYMPTOMS

When you try to approve or to reject items that are on a list that is on a server that is running Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services, you may receive the following error message:
Can't move focus to the control because it is invisible, not enabled, or of a type that does not accept the focus.
Additionally, nothing occurs when you click OK on the content approval page. However, the content approval page status bar indicates that there is an Error on Page with a warning symbol in the lower left corner of the page. If you double-click the warning symbol, you receive the following error message:
Problems with this Web page might prevent it from being displayed properly or functioning properly. In the future, you can display this message by double-clicking the warning icon displayed in the status bar.
If you click Show Details, the first error message that is listed in this section appears again.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you add a new column to an existing list and then make that column required. Because the existing list items will not have any entries in this new column, you will receive the first error message listed that is in the "Symptoms" section of this article when you try to accept or to reject the entry.

WORKAROUND

Use one of the following methods to work around this problem.

Change the Require that this column contains information option

Change the Require that this column contains information option from Yes to No to work around this problem. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Open the list page that is on the server that is running Windows SharePoint Services.
  2. Click Modify settings and columns.
  3. In the Column area of the page, click to edit the column that you want to change.
  4. Click No under Require that this column contains information.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Click Go Back to "List_name".

Enter data in the new required column

You can also work around this problem by entering data in the new required column for each entry in the list before you accept or reject the entries.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/27/2006
Keywords:kbWebServices kbWebForms kbweb kbpending kbBug KB831107 kbAudEndUser kbAudITPRO
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