How can I prompt for data & automate multiple insertions?

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David Reina - 27 Aug 2003 02:46 GMT

What I want to do is create a template that upon opening
prompts the user for info. the FILLIN field works
nicely. However there are times when I want to prompt
for info that is repeated throughout the document.
Rather than prompt the user over and over again for the
same answer is there a way where I can prompt them once
and then have their answer distributed throughout the
document automatically?

I have tried a combination of the ASK field as well as
bookmark and REF field and I am not sure if I am not
configuring them correctly or if even its purpose is an
appropriate solution. When using the ASK field, it
responds differently from the FILLIN field in that when
the user opens the document, the FILLIN windows pop up
but the ask field is completely bypassed (no window pops
up for the needed info) and when I manually bring the
window up and insert the data, it only places it at the
insertion point for that field and no where else in the
document where I want that info inserted. PLEASE HELP?
is there a way to even do this with Word?

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Peter Jamieson - 27 Aug 2003 09:51 GMT

Yes, unlike the FILLIN field, the ASK field is not executed automatically
when a new document is created from a template.

You either have to
a. get the user to select the document text (e.g. ctrl-A) then press F9 to
execute all the fields, or
b. create an Autonew macro that does the same thing. And/or an AutoOpen
macro if you want the same thing to happen each time the user re-opens the
document.

Alternatively you can use a FILLIN nested within a SET, e.g.

{ SET fielda { FILLIN "value of fielda:" } }

then

{ fielda } to display the results. That should work OK when you create a new
document from a template (but I wouldn't guarantee that it will always work,
in all versions of Word, in any situation). But it will only work when you
re-open a document if you put the fields somewhere where they will be
executed automatically, e.g. in the document header.

--
Peter Jamieson
MS Word MVP

> What I want to do is create a template that upon opening
> prompts the user for info. the FILLIN field works
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> document where I want that info inserted. PLEASE HELP?
> is there a way to even do this with Word?

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