Creating a Document With Fill in Fields

[angryfatguy]

Hello,

I am attempting to creat a document with areas for a user to enter information without altering the form of the document. The problem I am having is that even though I am locking the form, the text on the document is still moving when I type(note the following example just in case I am not explaining it properly, consider the margins of the plage to be those of a normal word document.)


Name(last, first, MI): SS number:
^when i tpye in the fill in field i created the SS number text still moves

I know I have seen documents that have had this feature im just not sure about how to do it exactly, any help would be great.

thank you

[glc]

It would help if you told us what software you are using. We can't just assume MS Word, and if it is Word, the version could make a big difference.

[rjfvillarosa]

The easiest document creator that allows user interfacing is Acrobat reader, if you plan on distributing this document amongst a number of machines then they will all need to have acrobat reader installed on them.

[angryfatguy]

I am using ms word in office 2000

[angryfatguy]

Is it necessary to have the pro version of acrobat or can this be done with the free one as well?

[glc]

You have to buy Acrobat to create forms - the free version is just a reader. There *should* be a way to do what you want with Word 2000, but I don't know how, hoping someone else will chime in.

[sdkfz]

The tricks I have used is to use tables to place the form input boxes into, set the maximum lengths etc with the properties (length, data type, help info for the data point etc) to stop excessive data entry and then to use 'protect document' to limit use to only using the form data points.

Between all of these together you should be able to get what you want. As a last step you change the properties of the table to blank borders to hide the fact it is a table (if you want). When adding the table use a standard 'grid' table. Tables also have a property to stop growth, but I find that using the forms properties to be better. Don't forget that you can merge/split cells to help you line stuff up the way you want

BTW I am on Word 2003, but as I recall these options have been in for some time now so they should be in your Word 2000

[Dangermouse1]

I`m at home at the moment using Linux so I can`t play with word but I know at work a lot of forms are made with word and the template is then locked as you say to stop it happening. If I get the chance tomorrow I will see what I can find out.

[trulad]

Yes, in MS Word you can create a template. I'm not sure how it's done but my wife does this all the time for the Bank's Legal dept.
trulad

[el_novato]

Try doing what sdkfz suggested....That's similar to what I've done in the past and it's worked out well.

If you want to make it a template, when you save it, do Save As and change the file type to Document Template. *.dot.

HTH

e.n.