Text Form Field – Forms Toolbar (Word 2003)

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Can I restrict the length of just one field on a form and then allow free entry on the rest of the form?

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Yes

you can specify the number of characters for a form field by double clicking the field when the form is unlocked. When you say “allow free entry” does this apply to other form fields or an unlocked section of the document?

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Unlock sections of the form.

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Hi TheDon,

For what you want, you’ll need to have the formfields in a protected Section and the ‘free-form’ part of the document in an unprotected Section. So, if you insert a Section break before/after the portion with the formfields, then protect only the Section(s) with the formfields, your users will be able to type freely in the remainder of the document.

Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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What type of section break do I enter?

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Whichever type suits your needs

Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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I guess I’m confused. Lets try this.

I open Word
1. I enter a Text Form Field
2. I select Insert , section break, continuouis
3. I then enter another Text Form Field in section 2
4. In section 1 I d/C the Text Form Field, max length 10
5. I want to protect section 1 only. Is that possible? How?

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Hi TheDon,

Let’s say you create a document with 2 Sections. If you put both formfields in Section 1, you can leave Section 2 unprotected, then you can type whatever you like in Section 2. Conversely, If you put both formfields in Section 2, you can leave Section 1 unprotected, then you can type whatever you like in Section 1.

You can extend this to a document with 3 or more Sections. For example, If you create a document with 3 Sections and put formfields in Sections 1 & 3, you can leave Section 2 unprotected, then you can type whatever you like in Section 2.

If you put a formfield in an unprotected section, it won’t work.

To leave a Section unprotected, you use Tools|Protection and protect the document for forms, and click on the Sections button to choose which Sections to protect.

Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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When I go to Tools | Protection, I don’t see where you select the section button in Word 2003? That is my problem. I remember it in Word 2000 but not in Word 2003….. Sorry to be just a “Pain”!!!!

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I am away from a PC with Office 2003… Does the Task Pane appear for protection? The sections option might not be available until after you choose to start applying protection.

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