help starting in merge

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Guest

I am a WordPefect "expert" so this Word stuff is really throwing me.

I am making a form. In WP I use merge for the fields, using GetString and Variable for placing the elements of information that i want throughout the document.

I KNOW there is an equivalent and that I am close to it, but here is what I have tried and what has not worked for me.

I tried creating a template and inserting fields such as "fill in", "ask" and while the form does ask and fill in, I cannot perpetuate the variables in other parts of the document.

I looked at Document Variables but not sure if that refers to variables inherent in the file or what.

Anything you can offer in terms of a "jumping off" point to automate my work in Word will help me make the switch, dreading it as I have been for years.

thank you!
 
Hi pkurz,

I am not familiar with the use of forms in WordPerfect, but in Word, there
are a couple of main types. One uses formfields in a document that is
protected for forms which, at least in the Section of the document that is
protected, only allows the user to enter information into the formfields.

That type of form is covered pretty thoroughly in the following series of
articles:

Please Fill Out This Form
Part 1: Create professional looking forms in Word
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=22

Part 2: Adding Automation to your Word forms.
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=46

Part 3: Learn more VBA (macros) to automate your forms.
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=119

Part 4: Use custom dialog boxes in your Word forms
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=127

Part 5: Connect your AutoForm to a database to save input time and keep
better records!
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=136

The other main type of form in Word is a UserForm which is a custom dialog
into which the user enter/selects information which is then used to populate
a document. This type of form is the more powerful of the two. There is a
basic introduction to creating such a form in the article "How to create a
Userform" at:

http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Userforms/CreateAUserForm.htm

Please post any further questions or followup to the newsgroups for the
benefit of others who may be interested. Unsolicited questions forwarded
directly to me will only be answered on a paid consulting basis.

Hope this helps
Doug Robbins - Word MVP
pkurz said:
I am a WordPefect "expert" so this Word stuff is really throwing me.

I am making a form. In WP I use merge for the fields, using GetString and
Click to expand...
Variable for placing the elements of information that i want throughout the
document.
I KNOW there is an equivalent and that I am close to it, but here is what
Click to expand...
I have tried and what has not worked for me.
I tried creating a template and inserting fields such as "fill in", "ask"
Click to expand...
and while the form does ask and fill in, I cannot perpetuate the variables
in other parts of the document.
I looked at Document Variables but not sure if that refers to variables inherent in the file or what.

Anything you can offer in terms of a "jumping off" point to automate my
Click to expand...
work in Word will help me make the switch, dreading it as I have been for
years.
 
This is a bit over my head... I followed the instructions and not only did it not work, I just didn't have a clue.

Is there somewhere I can start even more from scratch? I just don't get the concept/procedures.

The link provided a rather complex sample and I was lost.

thanks
 
The concept of an on-line form is that it creates a series of fields (once
the form is locked) in which data can be entered (and entered only in those
fields). The content of the fields are written to bookmarks and the content
of the bookmarks can be reproduced elsewhere by means of REF fields. This is
a rather rigid type of document intended for use where the user is not
adding free text.

http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/LinesInForms.htm

Userforms are a different concept. They provide the means to gather default
information, usually at the start of the document. This is the most elegant
form of user data insertion.

Doug provided the link for this.

A third concept, that you have already dabbled with, of fillin and ask
fields is a looser concept. They provide two types of prompt. Fillin, which
creates a type of place marker to accept data inserted by the prompt, and
Ask, which prompts for data to be assigned to a bookmark, which can be
placed with a REF field. In order to reproduce the content of a Fillin field
elsewhere with a REF field, you need to bookmark the fillin field manually.

A fourth, even simpler, concept uses macrobutton fields as placemarkers.

http://www.gmayor.com/Macrobutton.htm


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Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
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--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
 
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