Blank Line Suppression When Using FILLIN field

ID: Q106652

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition
Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a

SYMPTOMS

If you are using a FILLIN field in Microsoft Word, and do not enter any information into the FILLIN message box, the line in the document that holds the field code will still exist (and will be blank).

WORKAROUND

To have the blank line suppressed if no information is entered in the FILLIN field message box, use one of the two methods below.

Method 1: Use Bookmarks

TO use bookmarks to create the FILLIN field data, follow these steps:

1. Using the following example as a model, insert the following lines

   somewhere in your document, before the location where the
   information generated by the FILLIN fields will go:

      {set name "{fillin "enter name"}"}
      {set company "{fillin "enter company"}"}
      {set address "{fillin "enter address"}"}

   These lines assign FILLIN values to bookmarks. These bookmarks will be
   referenced later in the document where the information will
   actually appear.

2. Enter the following lines at the location in the document where you

   want the information to appear.

      {if name <> "" "{name}
      "}{if company <> "" "{company}
      "}{if address <> "" "{address}
      "}

Method 2: Use SET Statements

The results of this method are identical to the results of Method 1. The SET statements have been incorporated into the conditional statements.

   {set name {fillin "enter name"}}{if name <> "" "{name}
   "}{set company {fillin "enter company"}}{if company <> "" "{company}
   "}{set address {fillin "enter address"}}{if address <> "" "{address}
   "}

When you select the whole document (click Select All on the Edit menu) and press F9 to update the fields, you will be prompted for each piece of information. If you leave one or more of the pieces of information blank, the line containing its FILLIN field will be suppressed.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide," version 2.0, pages 474 and 672

Additional query words: macro

Keywords          : kbfield kbmerge 
Version           : WINDOWS:2.0,2.0a,5.0a- CD,2.0b,6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a,97;MACINTOSH:6.0,6.0.1,6.0.1a,98
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: February 3, 1998