Inserting Text via VBA into a Text Form Field in a Protected Word Document

[Steve Hale]

Hello everyone.

I have a Protected Form(that I don't have the password to) with Text Form Fields and have been struggling to get text to be inserted via VBA into the Text Form Field. Here's the code:

Sub TypeTextMethod()
Selection.TypeText Text:="Hello" 
End Sub

It's nothing fancy, but after i click on the Text Form Field and run it, I get:

Run-time Error '4065': This method or property is not available because the object refers to a protected area of the document.

Pasting text seems to work but that would mean me manually highlighting the text (from a different source), manually clicking the text field, then pasting it.
Is there no other way to Insert text into a Text Form Field?

Thanks in advance everyone.

-Steve

[gmayor]

If you are not going to unlock the form then use the following code to write to the selected text form field.

Option Explicit

Sub WriteToTextFF()
    With GetCurrentFF
        If .Type = wdFieldFormTextInput Then
            .Result = "This is the text to enter into the field"
        End If
    End With
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Sub
End Sub

Private Function GetCurrentFF() As Word.FormField
    Set rngFF = Selection.Range
    rngFF.Expand wdParagraph
    For Each fldFF In rngFF.FormFields
        Set GetCurrentFF = fldFF
        Exit For
    Next fldFF
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Function
End Function

[Steve Hale]

If you are not going to unlock the form then use the following code to write to the selected text form field.

Option Explicit

Sub WriteToTextFF()
    With GetCurrentFF
        If .Type = wdFieldFormTextInput Then
            .Result = "This is the text to enter into the field"
        End If
    End With
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Sub
End Sub

Private Function GetCurrentFF() As Word.FormField
    Set rngFF = Selection.Range
    rngFF.Expand wdParagraph
    For Each fldFF In rngFF.FormFields
        Set GetCurrentFF = fldFF
        Exit For
    Next fldFF
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Function
End Function

This solved my problem!!!

Thanks so much gmayor!

-Steve

[Steve Hale]

This solved my problem!!!

Thanks so much gmayor!

-Steve

Hello again.

While the code gmayor posted is absolute brilliance and is currently working well on several assigned Command Buttons, there was one string of text that was way too long as it gave out the 4609 Error: String too long.

I've done some digging around and most of the workarounds are having the Document Unprotected. This poses a problem as I am not in possession of this form's password. I also tested this protected field by typing in the text that the system was considering to be "too long", and IT ACCEPTED IT! Looks like this field was set to UNLIMITED.

Any recommendations?

Always, thank you so much!

-Steve

[gmaxey]

Create a copy of the document that is unprotected and your can then define your own password or leave it without a password:

Sub ScratchMacro()
'A basic Word macro coded by Greg Maxey
Dim oRng As Range
Dim oDoc As Document
  Set oRng = ActiveDocument.Range
    oRng.End = oRng.End - 1
    oRng.Copy
    Set oDoc = Documents.Add
    oDoc.Range.Paste
lbl_Exit:
  Exit Sub
End Sub

[Steve Hale]

Create a copy of the document that is unprotected and your can then define your own password or leave it without a password:

Sub ScratchMacro()
'A basic Word macro coded by Greg Maxey
Dim oRng As Range
Dim oDoc As Document
  Set oRng = ActiveDocument.Range
    oRng.End = oRng.End - 1
    oRng.Copy
    Set oDoc = Documents.Add
    oDoc.Range.Paste
lbl_Exit:
  Exit Sub
End Sub

Thanks for this gmaxey. This worked on a different document of ours.

[Steve Hale]

If you are not going to unlock the form then use the following code to write to the selected text form field.

Option Explicit

Sub WriteToTextFF()
    With GetCurrentFF
        If .Type = wdFieldFormTextInput Then
            .Result = "This is the text to enter into the field"
        End If
    End With
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Sub
End Sub

Private Function GetCurrentFF() As Word.FormField
    Set rngFF = Selection.Range
    rngFF.Expand wdParagraph
    For Each fldFF In rngFF.FormFields
        Set GetCurrentFF = fldFF
        Exit For
    Next fldFF
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Function
End Function

Hi again.

While working on this, a similar form that has multiple fields was in need of the same code.

I was trying to make it so that when I ran this, it would JUMP / GOTO onto the next field and insert the new text that is specific for the field.

What I have tried:
1. Used Sendkeys TAB
2. Used Sendkeys DOWN
3. Replicated the same procedure and renamed variables in a different Module and Called for it in the Original Module
Result on all 3 instances: It put in the FIRST TEXT i wanted and then overwriting it with the new text in the SAME text field and then it TABBED OVER / WENT TO THE to the next field I was aiming for.

I am unable to use SETFOCUS as this is the form that is protected and is generated by the application we are using.

Thanks a bunch for the helping hand!

-Steve

[gmayor]

Don't even think of using SendKeys!

You need to get the form field names. You can do that with the GetCurrentFF function (GetName macro). Then you can set the values for each text field by name and write to them all with a single macro.

Sub GetName()
    MsgBox GetCurrentFF.name
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Sub
End Sub

Sub FillFields()
Dim oFF As FormField
    For Each oFF In ActiveDocument.FormFields
        oFF.Select
        WriteToTextFF
    Next oFF
lbl_Exit:
    Set oFF = Nothing
    Exit Sub
End Sub


Sub WriteToTextFF()
    With GetCurrentFF
        If .Type = wdFieldFormTextInput Then
            Select Case .name
                Case "Text1"
                    .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text1 field"
                Case "Text2"
                    .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text2 field"
                Case "Text3"
                    .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text3 field"
                'etc
            End Select
        End If
    End With
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Sub
End Sub
 
Private Function GetCurrentFF() As Word.FormField
    Set rngFF = Selection.Range
    rngFF.Expand wdParagraph
    For Each fldFF In rngFF.FormFields
        Set GetCurrentFF = fldFF
        Exit For
    Next fldFF
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Function
End Function

[gmaxey]

Graham,

Headed off to class but can you look at this:

Private Function GetCurrentFF() As Word.FormField
Dim fldFF As FormField
    Set rngFF = Selection.Range
    rngFF.Expand wdParagraph
    For Each fldFF In rngFF.FormFields
        Set GetCurrentFF = fldFF
        Exit For
    Next fldFF
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Function
End Function

If I have two or more FFs in a paragraph and run this code the FF returned is always the first in the paragraph not the the one the cursor might be in.

[gmayor]

That was what that particular code was supposed to do, however for more than one field in the paragraph, the following will work in the context of the thread, but not if your cursor is simply in the field. The field must be selected.

Private Function GetCurrentFF() As Word.FormField
Dim rngff As Range
    Set rngff = Selection.Range
    Set GetCurrentFF = rngff.FormFields(1)
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Function
End Function

[Steve Hale]

Don't even think of using SendKeys!

You need to get the form field names. You can do that with the GetCurrentFF function (GetName macro). Then you can set the values for each text field by name and write to them all with a single macro.

Sub GetName()
    MsgBox GetCurrentFF.name
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Sub
End Sub

Sub FillFields()
Dim oFF As FormField
    For Each oFF In ActiveDocument.FormFields
        oFF.Select
        WriteToTextFF
    Next oFF
lbl_Exit:
    Set oFF = Nothing
    Exit Sub
End Sub


Sub WriteToTextFF()
    With GetCurrentFF
        If .Type = wdFieldFormTextInput Then
            Select Case .name
                Case "Text1"
                    .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text1 field"
                Case "Text2"
                    .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text2 field"
                Case "Text3"
                    .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text3 field"
                'etc
            End Select
        End If
    End With
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Sub
End Sub
 
Private Function GetCurrentFF() As Word.FormField
    Set rngFF = Selection.Range
    rngFF.Expand wdParagraph
    For Each fldFF In rngFF.FormFields
        Set GetCurrentFF = fldFF
        Exit For
    Next fldFF
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Function
End Function

HOLY SCHNEIKE! This works beautifully!

This definitely solved my Word Problem!

It's not a major issue but would be a nice addition... CHECKBOXES. I tried giving it a .Result of the following:
" "
" "
"x"
"X"
x
1
-1
"1"
True
"True"... none seem to work.

THANKS GMAYOR AND GMAXEY!

-Steve

[gmaxey]

    With GetCurrentFF
        'If .Type = wdFieldFormTextInput Then
            Select Case .Name
            Case "Check1"
              .CheckBox.Value = True
            Case "Text1"
                .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text1 field"
            Case "Text2"
                .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text2 field"
            Case "Text3"
                .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text3 field"
                 'etc
            End Select
        'End If
    End With

[Steve Hale]

    With GetCurrentFF
        'If .Type = wdFieldFormTextInput Then
            Select Case .Name
            Case "Check1"
              .CheckBox.Value = True
            Case "Text1"
                .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text1 field"
            Case "Text2"
                .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text2 field"
            Case "Text3"
                .Result = "This is the text to enter into the Text3 field"
                 'etc
            End Select
        'End If
    End With

Hi gmaxey.

It works!

Thanks so much for your time.

-Steve