WD97: How to Create a Combo Box Containing More Than 25 Items

• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article describes how to create and use a UserForm Combo box as an Entry macro for a text form field. This macro can be used as a workaround for the 25-item limitation in drop-down form fields.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified Solution Providers, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/mcsp/

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

Create the User Form Combo Box

1. On the Tools menu, point to Macro and then click Visual Basic Editor.



2. In the Project Window, select your TemplateProject.
   
   NOTE: If the Project window does not appear, click Project Explorer on the View menu.



3. On the Insert menu, click UserForm. A new UserForm and the Controls Toolbox should now appear. Right-click the UserForm and then click View Code on the shortcut menu. Add the following code:

   
   Private Sub frmcombo_Initialize()
      ComboBox1.ColumnCount = 1
      'Load MyArray
      MyArray(0) = "Zero"
      MyArray(1) = "One"
      MyArray(2) = "Two"
      MyArray(3) = "Three"
      'Load data into ComboBox
      ComboBox1.List() = MyArray
   End Sub 

   and then close the code window.
   
   NOTE: MyArray() can contain as many (or few) items as you need. The array is not limited to 25 items like the Drop-Down Form Field.
   
   Right-click the UserForm and then click Properties on the shortcut menu. On the Alphabetic tab, rename (Name) to frmcombo and then rename Caption to Microsoft Word. Close the UserForm Properties window.



4. On the Controls tab of the toolbox, select ComboBox and place it on your User Form. Right-click the ComboBox control and then click View Code on the shortcut menu. Change the ComboBox code to:

   
   Private Sub ComboBox1_Change()
      ActiveDocument.FormFields("Text1").Result = ComboBox1.Value
   End Sub 

   and then close the code window.
   
   NOTE: Text1 is the bookmark name of the Text Form Field that you insert into your template in step 2 of the "Create the Text Form Field" procedure of this article.



5. On the Controls tab of the toolbox, select the CommandButton and place it on your User Form as a Close button. Right-click the CommandButton and then click View Code on the shortcut menu. Change the CommandButton code to:

   
   Private Sub Cmdclose_Click()
      End
   End Sub 

   and then close the code window. Right-click the CommandButton and click Properties on the shortcut menu. On the Alphabetic tab, rename (Name) to Cmdclose and then rename Caption to Close. Close the CommandButton Properties window.

Create the Entry Macro

1. In the Project Window, select your TemplateProject.



2. On the Insert menu, click Module. A blank module code sheet appears.



3. Type in the following code:

   
   Dim MyArray(3)
   
   Sub gocombobox()
      frmcombo.Show
   End Sub 

   NOTE: Make sure the DIM MyArray() statement contains the highest array number of the items contained in your array (not the total number of array items) from step 3 of the "Create the User Form Combo Box" procedure listed earlier in this article. For example, if you add a fifth item (MyArray(4) = "Four") to the example array in step 3 of the "Create the User Form Combo Box" procedure, make sure you change the DIM MyArray(3) statement to DIM MyArray(4).

Create the Text Form Field

1. In your template, on the View menu, point to Toolbars and then click Forms.



2. Position your insertion point where you want the result of the drop down list inserted. On the Forms toolbar, click Text Form Field (the first button on the left). The Text Form Field will be inserted into your template as gray shading.
   
   NOTE: If you see the {FORMTEXT} field, press ALT+F9 to turn the field codes off.



3. Right-click the Text Form Field and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.



4. In the Text Form Field Options dialog box, under the Run macro on section, click the down arrow in the Entry box and select the gocombobox macro.
   
   NOTE: Make sure the Bookmark name of your Text Form Field is the same as you specified in step 4 of the "Create the User Form Combo Box" procedure earlier in this article.



5. On the Forms toolbar, click Protect Form.



6. Save and close your template.

Additional query words: vba

Keywords          : kbdta kbdtacode kbmacroexample kbwordvba kbfield word97 kbform 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto 

Last Reviewed: July 14, 1999