Word97--combo boxes

Hello pja15,

the first suggestion by cri sounds most pragmatic give your users a list (printed or in a textfile) and use a autocorrect list

else i would try a form with a combobox or listbox on it so user can take their pick and it will be inserted at the cursor or something

:O)Bruintje

The autocorrect goes the wrong way---want to save the code not plain english.  Additionally, to many codes to learn by memory.  I would like to use a combo box where it would show the plain english yet store the code in the field.  Piece of cake with Access, but don't know how to do it in Word97.

ok what you can do is use the form fields again

now drop a dropdown box on your document
you can put in all the codes you need like code=description
can't put in two columns in that field

pja,

I would suggest following if you can't use the Autocorrect feature:

Put the following code in a module of the VBA part:
Sub FillFormFields()
Dim mCombo As ComboBox
Dim mArray(0 To 4, 0 To 1)
mArray(0, 0) = "1111"
mArray(1, 0) = "1112"
mArray(2, 0) = "2222"
mArray(3, 0) = "32131"
mArray(4, 0) = "5218"
mArray(0, 1) = "test1"
mArray(1, 1) = "test2"
mArray(2, 1) = "test3"
mArray(3, 1) = "test4"
mArray(4, 1) = "Ref test"
'And so on
With UserForm1
    Set mCombo = .ComboBox1
    With mCombo
        .Top = 10
        .Left = 10
        .Width = 200
        .ColumnCount = 2
        .ColumnWidths = "70;90"
        .List() = mArray
    End With
    .Show
End With
End Sub

Then create one single userform and just put one combobox on it.

Then paste the code below into the code pane of the userform:

Private Sub ComboBox1_Change()
ActiveDocument.FormFields(Selection.Bookmarks(1).Name).Result = ComboBox1.List(ComboBox1.ListIndex, 1)
Me.Hide
End Sub

Put formfield in your table, with in property's:

OnEntry you select the macro FillFormFields

Then protect the document and test.

Hope this helps
Calacuccia

I did not fully develop the code & ideas above but hope you can get it going from here, if not, please ask.

Looks good--won't really get a chance to work on it until the weekend.  A couple of things I'm confused on--when you say "userform" is that just a regular form or table or something else?  Also, how do I get to the field code of the userform?  Finally, you indicate "just one" combo box--I would be putting several comoboxes on the form and I'm assuming I can just do it multiple times using combobox2, 3 etc?  Sorry I need such remedial training.  Thanks.

pja,

The userform are VB(A) userforms, and it is only one combobox I am thinking off.

In fact, using comboboxes on Word tables or sheets will be a disaster. That's why I preferred to look for a method (being pushed in that direction by Bruintje's idea in your other question) which uses the events of formfields.

In fact all you will have to do is to make formfields in your table off the type I described.

All the rest will be done in VBA.

The userform is pretty selfsupporting with the code I wrote, all you will have to do is create a blank userform and put one combobox in it.

1/ Push Alt+F to open the VBA Editor
2/ Look in the project explorer (looks like the plain Windows Explorer) for the file Project(MyFile) where MyFile is the name of your Word document
3/ Right click your project(MyFile) and select Insert/Userform or select Project(MyFile) and go to the Insert/Userform menu.
4/ The little toolbox which appears contains some controls, one of which is the combobox. Just click it, and click on the left top of your userform to put it there.

Now you have created your userform with a combobox on it.

5/ Right click the UserForm1 which appears in the Project Explorer under Project(MyFile) and select 'View Code'
You will see an empty code pane on the right top
6/ Paste Code below into the empty code pane
Private Sub ComboBox1_Change()
ActiveDocument.FormFields(Selection.Bookmarks(1).Name).Result = ComboBox1.List(ComboBox1.ListIndex, 1)
Me.Hide
End Sub

7/ Now create the VB Module containing the code, right-click the Project(MyFile) anywhere in the left project explorer, and select Insert/Module

8/ Now in the right code pane, past code below

Sub FillFormFields()
Dim mCombo As ComboBox
Dim mArray(0 To 4, 0 To 1)
mArray(0, 0) = "1111"
mArray(1, 0) = "1112"
mArray(2, 0) = "2222"
mArray(3, 0) = "32131"
mArray(4, 0) = "5218"
mArray(0, 1) = "test1"
mArray(1, 1) = "test2"
mArray(2, 1) = "test3"
mArray(3, 1) = "test4"
mArray(4, 1) = "Ref test"
'And so on
With UserForm1
   Set mCombo = .ComboBox1
   With mCombo
       .Top = 10
       .Left = 10
       .Width = 200
       .ColumnCount = 2
       .ColumnWidths = "70;90"
       .List() = mArray
   End With
   .Show
End With
End Sub

9/ All left to do is to make sure that all the formfields which should have the combobox behaviour point to the macro 'FillFormFields' in there OnEnter property.

10/ Of course, the code above is not complete, you need to list all your combination of numbers & corresponding text for all 50 items you need, as I started as an example for 5 items above.

calacuccia

Some tips on creating userforms are also here, but at this point you should just fous on the things I mentioned above

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=15

I'm pretty much stuck with Word because of all the other itmes I alrady have on the form plus I would need about 23 comboboxes for the rows.  bruintje, I like your idea of using a combo box, one column only, but have code=description.  How do I do that?

Ok after rereading the whole thing

what i would do

-place a formfield on the document
-make it a dropdown box
-open the VB Editor with ALT+F11
-insert a new module
-then paste this code

Public Sub DropDownValue()
Dim i As Integer
Dim sVal As String
 
  sVal = ActiveDocument.FormFields("DropDown1").Result
  i = InStr(1, sVal, "=")
  sVal = Right(sVal, Len(sVal) - i)
  MsgBox sVal

End Sub

-this will return the number for the chosen action if you want to save it let me know where at least you got the number popped now
-save and close

-back in document
-manually fill the box with pairs like <action>=<number>
-then in the onexit macro box look for the DropDownValue macro and put it there

-then protect the form fields and try it out

HAGD:O)Bruintje

Works well and number appear in msgBox.  Would like to save the number in DropDown1 instead of the <action>=<number> text.  How would I do that last step?  thanks.

As usual, I'm impressed.  Thanks.