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Copy/Paste does not work properly on forms

Anonymous
2012-03-05T16:01:24+00:00

When filling in a Word form, I sometimes find that Copy/Paste does not work properly. I'm on Word 2007. The form I am filling in is on an earlier version (.doc file) but I don't think that is the cause. I want to paste text into a box on the form. But when I paste, the text doesn't go inside the box, but above it. Any ideas why this might be, and how to overcome it?

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  1. Stefan Blom 338.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2012-03-06T18:43:54+00:00

    Assuming that the form is protected, pasting outside the fields shouldn't be possible. Does the problem occur when you paste large pieces of text only? In that case, what you are seeing is probably normal: the pasted data pushes the existing content out of the way (as with any paste operation, even in unprotected documents), which would affect the layout of the entire form. To prevent this from happening, the form must be designed so that fields are inside table cells whose dimensions are fixed.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-03-06T13:44:25+00:00

    I have read the instructions in the link, but they don't

     help

    1.  I can't see the 'Controls' it refers to.
    2. I didn't design the form, I'm just trying to fill it in, so would this prevent me from protecting it as you describe?

    Perhaps if I clarify a bit further. This is a form that has been sent to me to fill in, then print out and mail back. I can type into the boxes, no problem. I can also (as I found out yesterday after posting my question) copy and paste something from a web page (e.g website address or the text of what I asked yesterday). But if I try to paste something from another Word document, the text goes above the box and the box moves down the page.

    It doesn't prevent me from completing the form, but it's just annoying that I have to type out things that I already have in another document.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-03-06T11:04:26+00:00

    Have you protected the form before pasting text into the text box?  If no then you may protect the form first and then try pasting text into the text box and check. Refer to the section “Add protection to a form and prepare it for distribution” in the following link for more information:

    http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/create-forms-that-users-complete-or-print-in-word-HA010030746.aspx#_Toc260833677

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