Forum Discussion
Cannot delete text in legacy tools form field
I'm having issues deleting and selecting legacy form fields in ALL my world documents.
I have several documents with legacy tools form fields to enter text. I then protect the document so only the form field can be used. It used to be when I protected a word document, I could not highlight/select any text. For example if I wanted to copy text, I had to unlock it. Now, it allows me to highlight everything despite it being locked. This also seems to connect with my main problem, when I double click a form field to highlight all the original text and enter new text, it selects all text and the form field text will not delete. If put just my curser in the form field, it only allows me to use backspace to delete and if I put my cursor after the last letter it won't respond at all. I have to tab to the next form field and then tab back to be able to enter text and/or delete. Finally, once I have done that and am able to type new text, if I mess up and hit backspace to delete my error, I can then no longer type and have to tab out and back in and start all over. It's driving me crazy!
Version of Word you are using?
Operating System?
Could you save a sample document with the problem on OneDrive or Dropbox and post a link here so we could take a look. Do not password protect it but do apply your usual protection.
Why a sample file is important for troubleshooting - - - - - - - and how to do it.
questionaboutword Instead of following the practice of "emptying" the formfields so that you can reuse the form, it would be better to save the form as a template and use File>New and select that template whenever you want to use the form.
However, if you assign a macro containing the following code to the keyboard or the Quick Access Toolbar so that you can run it while the form is protected, it will reset all of the formfields in the document
With ActiveDocument If .ProtectionType = wdAllowOnlyFormFields Then .Unprotect .Protect wdAllowOnlyFormFields, False Else .Protect wdAllowOnlyFormFields, False End If End WithFinally however, your mention of Legacy Formfields indicates that you are using a version of Office that supports the use of Content Controls and it would probably be better if you re-designed the form to use Content Controls rather than Legacy FormFields.
- Thank you everyone for your replies. I do not know how, but the error corrected itself as quickly as it came on. When this issue first started I had used this document over 20 times. Each time just writing over the original text in the form fields with new text and then saving. Between saves, the issue started. After hours of using this form with the error, it just went away between saves. I was having some lag issues with my laptop touch pad during that same period, so wonder if it had anything to do with that. Thanks everyone!
questionaboutword Glad to hear that. However, I would strongly recommend that you save the form as template and use File>New and select the template each time that you need to create a new form as then you will not have to remove\replace text from the formfields.
