How do I create auto text instructions for a form field

I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form I am
creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text, but do not
understand where the help text displays once I protect the document as a
fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.

In earlier versions it displayed in the status bar, so you might look there.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"nannybear" wrote in message
...
I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form I am
creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text, but do not
understand where the help text displays once I protect the document as a
fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.

It still displays in the status bar, or optionally in a pop-up window via
the F1 button.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
In earlier versions it displayed in the status bar, so you might look
there.

"nannybear" wrote in message
...
I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form I am
creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text, but do not
understand where the help text displays once I protect the document
as a fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.

Yes, I think the F1 popup is "classic" as well (I'd forgotten about that
since I rarely do forms and never use help).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
It still displays in the status bar, or optionally in a pop-up window via
the F1 button.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
In earlier versions it displayed in the status bar, so you might look
there.

"nannybear" wrote in message
...
I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form I am
creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text, but do not
understand where the help text displays once I protect the document
as a fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.

Thank you for the input - I was hoping to find the feature like Access (?)
where the tip auto displays when the field is tabbed to or you hover your
cursor over a field.

Actually, I cannot even figure out how to enter the information in the auto
text window to get it to display...I've tried the follow the process and am
getting nowhere...very slowly.

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

Yes, I think the F1 popup is "classic" as well (I'd forgotten about that
since I rarely do forms and never use help).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
It still displays in the status bar, or optionally in a pop-up window via
the F1 button.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
In earlier versions it displayed in the status bar, so you might look
there.

"nannybear" wrote in message
...
I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form I am
creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text, but do not
understand where the help text displays once I protect the document
as a fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.

From the form field properties - add help text there are two tabs - Status
Bar and Help Key (F1)
Status Bar as its name suggests puts help text in the status bar
Check the Type your own radio button and type the help text in the window.
Obviously the space available on the status bar limits what you can
practically write there.
The Help Key tab works in a similar way except that you can write more text
and it displays in a pop-up box when you press F1 with the field selected.
Both tabs have an autotext option which instead of using the typed-in text
use the content of a pre-existing autotext entry that you can pick from a
list.
A third method you can use is to add an autonew macro to display a messages
to direct user attention to the status bar e.g.

Sub AutoNew()
Dim sMsg As String
Dim sVer As Integer
sMsg = "Refer to status line at bottom of screen for field entry details" _
& vbCr & "Use the tab key to move between fields"
sVer = Application.version
If sVer 12 Then
Assistant.On = True
Set Balloon = Assistant.NewBalloon
With Balloon
.Text = sMsg
.Button = msoButtonSetOK
.Animation = msoAnimationBeginSpeaking
.Show
End With
Else
MsgBox sMsg, vbInformation, "User Information"
End If
End Sub

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

This is only really practical if you are distributing the form as a
template.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



nannybear wrote:
Thank you for the input - I was hoping to find the feature like
Access (?) where the tip auto displays when the field is tabbed to or
you hover your cursor over a field.

Actually, I cannot even figure out how to enter the information in
the auto text window to get it to display...I've tried the follow the
process and am getting nowhere...very slowly.

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

Yes, I think the F1 popup is "classic" as well (I'd forgotten about
that since I rarely do forms and never use help).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
It still displays in the status bar, or optionally in a pop-up
window via the F1 button.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
In earlier versions it displayed in the status bar, so you might
look there.

"nannybear" wrote in message
...
I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form
I am creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text, but
do not understand where the help text displays once I protect the
document as a fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.

This information has been very helpful. But is there a way to have the help
text appear when your cursor hovers over a field opposed to hitting the F1
key. Some users of my particular form may not be as familiar with Word
documents and wouldn't know to hit the F1 key. Thanks!

~Nicole

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

From the form field properties - add help text there are two tabs - Status
Bar and Help Key (F1)
Status Bar as its name suggests puts help text in the status bar
Check the Type your own radio button and type the help text in the window.
Obviously the space available on the status bar limits what you can
practically write there.
The Help Key tab works in a similar way except that you can write more text
and it displays in a pop-up box when you press F1 with the field selected.
Both tabs have an autotext option which instead of using the typed-in text
use the content of a pre-existing autotext entry that you can pick from a
list.
A third method you can use is to add an autonew macro to display a messages
to direct user attention to the status bar e.g.

Sub AutoNew()
Dim sMsg As String
Dim sVer As Integer
sMsg = "Refer to status line at bottom of screen for field entry details" _
& vbCr & "Use the tab key to move between fields"
sVer = Application.version
If sVer 12 Then
Assistant.On = True
Set Balloon = Assistant.NewBalloon
With Balloon
.Text = sMsg
.Button = msoButtonSetOK
.Animation = msoAnimationBeginSpeaking
.Show
End With
Else
MsgBox sMsg, vbInformation, "User Information"
End If
End Sub

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

This is only really practical if you are distributing the form as a
template.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



nannybear wrote:
Thank you for the input - I was hoping to find the feature like
Access (?) where the tip auto displays when the field is tabbed to or
you hover your cursor over a field.

Actually, I cannot even figure out how to enter the information in
the auto text window to get it to display...I've tried the follow the
process and am getting nowhere...very slowly.

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

Yes, I think the F1 popup is "classic" as well (I'd forgotten about
that since I rarely do forms and never use help).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
It still displays in the status bar, or optionally in a pop-up
window via the F1 button.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
In earlier versions it displayed in the status bar, so you might
look there.

"nannybear" wrote in message
...
I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form
I am creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text, but
do not understand where the help text displays once I protect the
document as a fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.

Change the message in the AutoNew macro to instruct the user

sMsg = "Press F1 for help." _
& vbCr & "Use the tab key to move between fields"

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Nicole818 wrote:
This information has been very helpful. But is there a way to have
the help text appear when your cursor hovers over a field opposed to
hitting the F1 key. Some users of my particular form may not be as
familiar with Word documents and wouldn't know to hit the F1 key.
Thanks!

~Nicole

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

From the form field properties - add help text there are two tabs -
Status Bar and Help Key (F1)
Status Bar as its name suggests puts help text in the status bar
Check the Type your own radio button and type the help text in the
window. Obviously the space available on the status bar limits what
you can practically write there.
The Help Key tab works in a similar way except that you can write
more text and it displays in a pop-up box when you press F1 with the
field selected. Both tabs have an autotext option which instead of
using the typed-in text use the content of a pre-existing autotext
entry that you can pick from a list.
A third method you can use is to add an autonew macro to display a
messages to direct user attention to the status bar e.g.

Sub AutoNew()
Dim sMsg As String
Dim sVer As Integer
sMsg = "Refer to status line at bottom of screen for field entry
details" _ & vbCr & "Use the tab key to move between fields"
sVer = Application.version
If sVer 12 Then
Assistant.On = True
Set Balloon = Assistant.NewBalloon
With Balloon
.Text = sMsg
.Button = msoButtonSetOK
.Animation = msoAnimationBeginSpeaking
.Show
End With
Else
MsgBox sMsg, vbInformation, "User Information"
End If
End Sub

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

This is only really practical if you are distributing the form as a
template.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



nannybear wrote:
Thank you for the input - I was hoping to find the feature like
Access (?) where the tip auto displays when the field is tabbed to
or you hover your cursor over a field.

Actually, I cannot even figure out how to enter the information in
the auto text window to get it to display...I've tried the follow
the process and am getting nowhere...very slowly.

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

Yes, I think the F1 popup is "classic" as well (I'd forgotten about
that since I rarely do forms and never use help).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
It still displays in the status bar, or optionally in a pop-up
window via the F1 button.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
In earlier versions it displayed in the status bar, so you might
look there.

"nannybear" wrote in
message
...
I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form
I am creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text,
but do not understand where the help text displays once I
protect the document as a fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.

"AutoNew" macro? I'm not familiar with this, where do I find it? I'm using
Word 2003.

~Nicole

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

Change the message in the AutoNew macro to instruct the user

sMsg = "Press F1 for help." _
& vbCr & "Use the tab key to move between fields"

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Nicole818 wrote:
This information has been very helpful. But is there a way to have
the help text appear when your cursor hovers over a field opposed to
hitting the F1 key. Some users of my particular form may not be as
familiar with Word documents and wouldn't know to hit the F1 key.
Thanks!

~Nicole

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

From the form field properties - add help text there are two tabs -
Status Bar and Help Key (F1)
Status Bar as its name suggests puts help text in the status bar
Check the Type your own radio button and type the help text in the
window. Obviously the space available on the status bar limits what
you can practically write there.
The Help Key tab works in a similar way except that you can write
more text and it displays in a pop-up box when you press F1 with the
field selected. Both tabs have an autotext option which instead of
using the typed-in text use the content of a pre-existing autotext
entry that you can pick from a list.
A third method you can use is to add an autonew macro to display a
messages to direct user attention to the status bar e.g.

Sub AutoNew()
Dim sMsg As String
Dim sVer As Integer
sMsg = "Refer to status line at bottom of screen for field entry
details" _ & vbCr & "Use the tab key to move between fields"
sVer = Application.version
If sVer 12 Then
Assistant.On = True
Set Balloon = Assistant.NewBalloon
With Balloon
.Text = sMsg
.Button = msoButtonSetOK
.Animation = msoAnimationBeginSpeaking
.Show
End With
Else
MsgBox sMsg, vbInformation, "User Information"
End If
End Sub

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

This is only really practical if you are distributing the form as a
template.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



nannybear wrote:
Thank you for the input - I was hoping to find the feature like
Access (?) where the tip auto displays when the field is tabbed to
or you hover your cursor over a field.

Actually, I cannot even figure out how to enter the information in
the auto text window to get it to display...I've tried the follow
the process and am getting nowhere...very slowly.

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

Yes, I think the F1 popup is "classic" as well (I'd forgotten about
that since I rarely do forms and never use help).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
It still displays in the status bar, or optionally in a pop-up
window via the F1 button.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
In earlier versions it displayed in the status bar, so you might
look there.

"nannybear" wrote in
message
...
I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form
I am creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text,
but do not understand where the help text displays once I
protect the document as a fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.

The AutoNew macro that Graham supplied is in the message you first replied
to.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Nicole818" wrote in message
...
"AutoNew" macro? I'm not familiar with this, where do I find it? I'm
using
Word 2003.

~Nicole

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

Change the message in the AutoNew macro to instruct the user

sMsg = "Press F1 for help." _
& vbCr & "Use the tab key to move between fields"

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Nicole818 wrote:
This information has been very helpful. But is there a way to have
the help text appear when your cursor hovers over a field opposed to
hitting the F1 key. Some users of my particular form may not be as
familiar with Word documents and wouldn't know to hit the F1 key.
Thanks!

~Nicole

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

From the form field properties - add help text there are two tabs -
Status Bar and Help Key (F1)
Status Bar as its name suggests puts help text in the status bar
Check the Type your own radio button and type the help text in the
window. Obviously the space available on the status bar limits what
you can practically write there.
The Help Key tab works in a similar way except that you can write
more text and it displays in a pop-up box when you press F1 with the
field selected. Both tabs have an autotext option which instead of
using the typed-in text use the content of a pre-existing autotext
entry that you can pick from a list.
A third method you can use is to add an autonew macro to display a
messages to direct user attention to the status bar e.g.

Sub AutoNew()
Dim sMsg As String
Dim sVer As Integer
sMsg = "Refer to status line at bottom of screen for field entry
details" _ & vbCr & "Use the tab key to move between fields"
sVer = Application.version
If sVer 12 Then
Assistant.On = True
Set Balloon = Assistant.NewBalloon
With Balloon
.Text = sMsg
.Button = msoButtonSetOK
.Animation = msoAnimationBeginSpeaking
.Show
End With
Else
MsgBox sMsg, vbInformation, "User Information"
End If
End Sub

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

This is only really practical if you are distributing the form as a
template.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



nannybear wrote:
Thank you for the input - I was hoping to find the feature like
Access (?) where the tip auto displays when the field is tabbed to
or you hover your cursor over a field.

Actually, I cannot even figure out how to enter the information in
the auto text window to get it to display...I've tried the follow
the process and am getting nowhere...very slowly.

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

Yes, I think the F1 popup is "classic" as well (I'd forgotten about
that since I rarely do forms and never use help).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Graham Mayor" wrote in message
...
It still displays in the status bar, or optionally in a pop-up
window via the F1 button.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
In earlier versions it displayed in the status bar, so you might
look there.

"nannybear" wrote in
message
...
I am using the Legacy tools feature to add text fields in a form
I am creating using a table format. I see the Add Help Text,
but do not understand where the help text displays once I
protect the document as a fill-in form.

Thank you for any help.