WD: WinWord: FILLIN Fields in Header Updated at Print or in View

ID: Q89863

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 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

SUMMARY

By design, Word for Windows updates FILLIN fields located in the header or footer when you print a document, print merge a document to the printer or to a new document, or switch to print preview or page layout view. These fields are updated even if the Update Fields check box is cleared in the Tools Options Print dialog box.

Workaround

To work around this problem, use an ASK field instead of a FILLIN field to insert text in your header or footer. Insert the ASK field in the body of the document. In the header or footer, insert a field reference to the ASK field bookmark. An ASK field prompts you for information when you update the field, but it is not automatically updated when you print the document (unless you select the Update Fields check box in the Tools Options Print dialog box).

Note: This workaround will not allow you to simply print the document and enter the information in the ASK field. If you do this, the value of the REF field in the header will be incorrect because it will not be updated to reflect the new value of the ASK field. (i.e. it will contain old information). To get the fields to reflect the correct values, it is necessary to select the entire document and update the fields manually, as indicated in step 5 below.

Steps to create the ASK field:

1. In the body of your document, press CTRL+F9 to create field brackets

   ({}). The ASK field is a hidden field and is not visible when you print
   your document.

2. With the insertion point between the field brackets created in step 1,

   type:

      ASK bookmark_name "Prompt"

    where "bookmark_name" is a bookmark name you wish to use to reference
    this ASK field and "Prompt" is an instruction to the user. For example:

      ASK UserName "Please enter your name."

3. From the View menu, choose Header and Footer (in versions 1.0, 1.1 or

   1.1a of Word for Windows, choose Header/Footer from the Edit menu).

   a. In the header window, press CTRL+F9 to create field brackets({}).

   b. With the insertion point between the field brackets created in the
      previous step, type:

      ref bookmark_name

      where "bookmark_name" is the bookmark name you defined with the ASK
      field. For example:

      ref username

4. Close the Header to return to the document body.

5. Select the entire document and update the fields by pressing the F9

   key. When the ASK field prompts you for information, type the
   appropriate text and choose the OK button.

6. From the File menu, choose Print. The bookmark text appears in your

   document header.

Reference(s):

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide," version 2.0, pages 475-478

KBCategory: KBSubcategory: kbfield Additional query words: 1.0 1.10 1.10a 2.0 2.0a 2.0a-CD 2.0b word7 word6 winword 7.0 word95 6.0 winword2 3.0 3.10 prompt twice word8 word97 8.0 8.0

Keywords          : kbprint kbualink97 kbfield 
Version           : 1.x 2.x 6.0 6.0a 6.0c 7.0 97
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: February 6, 1998