How to get Word to open the next drop-down automatically?
March 28, 2005 2:25 PM Subscribe
I have a Microsoft Word document template containing many drop-down form field elements. How can I get Word to advance to and display the choices for the next drop-down automatically when a selection is made?
This form will be filled in using voice recognition (Dragon NaturallySpeaking). Currently it is necessary for the user to say "next" between each choice (this runs a NaturallySpeaking macro that simulates tab followed by F4) which is tedious for a long form that will need to be filled many times. Word helpfully provides hooks that can be used to run macros on entry to or exit from the form element, but not a hook to run a macro when a selection is made. If I use the ActiveX controls instead of standard form elements the right hooks seem to be there but I have not been able to get it to work (I can give the next form element input focus but all my attempts at getting the list to drop down automatically either crash Word or do nothing).
I am using Word 2000 on Windows XP at the moment, but I have access to a later version of Word if necessary. Thanks for any advice!
This form will be filled in using voice recognition (Dragon NaturallySpeaking). Currently it is necessary for the user to say "next" between each choice (this runs a NaturallySpeaking macro that simulates tab followed by F4) which is tedious for a long form that will need to be filled many times. Word helpfully provides hooks that can be used to run macros on entry to or exit from the form element, but not a hook to run a macro when a selection is made. If I use the ActiveX controls instead of standard form elements the right hooks seem to be there but I have not been able to get it to work (I can give the next form element input focus but all my attempts at getting the list to drop down automatically either crash Word or do nothing).
I am using Word 2000 on Windows XP at the moment, but I have access to a later version of Word if necessary. Thanks for any advice!
« Older Generating new comment counts | Can I skip out on a return leg of an airline... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.