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Q196676: WD97: Form Field Length Expands or Contracts, Affects Alignment

Article: Q196676
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbualink97 kbfield word97
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The length of your form field expands or contracts, depending on the amount of
text you enter into the form field. This can result in other form fields or text
moving to new positions, which affects the horizontal and vertical alignment of
your form. This behavior can occur even though you have set a maximum limit for
the number of characters to be entered into the field.

CAUSE
=====

Setting the maximum number of characters for a form field does not establish a
permanent dimension for the field. This setting refers only to the widest that
the field can be. If there are fewer characters typed than the maximum allowed,
the field is only as wide as the number of characters typed.

For example, if the maximum field size is 30 characters, and you type a
five-letter word in the field, the field is five characters wide. If you type 50
characters in the field, only the first 30 characters are shown.

WORKAROUND
==========

Using one of the following methods may or may not help you achieve the results
you want; however, any of these methods can be used to give you more precise
control over the position of other fields or text within your form.

Method 1: Place Form Field Inside a Table
-----------------------------------------

Place the form field inside a table. Each cell that contains a form field has a
fixed width, so varying the text length does not move text or other form fields
horizontally on the page. Setting the table row to an exact height to control
the number of lines that are displayed in your form will maintain the vertical
position of other items on your form.

Method 2: Place Form Field in a Frame
-------------------------------------

Place the form field in a frame. You can format the frame to have an exact height
and width. To locate this option, select the frame. On the Format menu, choose
Frame.

Method 3: Set Tab After Form Field
----------------------------------

Set a tab immediately after the form field. The drawback to this method is that
if the text inside the form field extends past the tab stop, the text or form
field following the tab stop will not be positioned correctly.

Additional query words: forms locking lock force vertical horizontal verticle absolute fields

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Keywords          : kbualink97 kbfield word97 
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbprb

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