MS-Word --- Letter Wizard

Computer Info – January 10, 2001

This Week’s Program

We will be taking a look at creating forms in Microsoft Word.

Alphabetize in your Word Processer

        WordPad and Works – To create an alphabetized list, you have to do it manually as you enter the information. Place your cursor on the first letter of the row that you would like to insert a row above – hit the ENTER key and this will create a blank row. Move your cursor up to that row and enter the information that you want. It is the only sorting that I know about in WordPad or Works – this method will work with any word processor.
        MS-Word – In Word, you can type your list first and then sort it. To sort, choose TABLE – SORT. Here you are allow to sort ascending or descending – by paragraphs or fields (fields are created when you use the TAB key to enter your information) - by more than one field – and you can state whether you have headers or not. Vertical Text         In Word, you can create vertical text by using WordArt. Just choose one of the vertical text samples – type your text (which will be horizontal as you are typing it) – and press the OK button. After you have created your text, you can right click on it and choose PROPERTIES to change the font, font size, color and other features of it. Character Map         How do I insert a special character when I am typing my email?
        The easiest way to insert a symbol that does not appear on your keyboard is to open the Character Map utility (which is found at START-PROGRAMS-ACCESSORIES-SYSTEM TOOLS). Select the font you are using and click the symbol you want. Press the Select and Copy buttons to copy it to the clipboard. Then you can paste it into any document.
        If you don’t have Character Map on your computer, you can install it using the ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS control panel. Click on the Windows Setup tab, double-click on System Tools and check the box next to Character Map. Canon Printer         A sample of print from a Canon printer was brought in last week. After changing both the black cartridge and the color cartridge, the quality of the print was very poor. All of the letters were broken into two lines. What could cause this?
        Received an email from a member of the group and he suggested something that we all should have thought about. We have mentioned this at two or three of our meetings. In some of the Canon printers, you must change the print head periodically – not just the print tanks (cartridges). Norton Anti-Virus Updates         To receive 12 months of updates to your Norton Anti-Virus costs $3.95 for a year. To receive this, use the following link;
                        http://www.symantec.com/custserv/subscribe/navsub.html
and select Anti Virus subscription updates. Then follow the prompt.
        This information is available when you call Symantec at 800-441-7234 and listen to their taped message.

Creating a Form in Word

        Word can create a fill-in form where once it is created, you can tab through the various fill-in areas to complete it.
        Here are a few helpful hints on creating your own. The first step is to view your FORMS toolbar. This is done from the VIEW menu – then choose TOOLBARS – then click on FORMS. On the FORMS toolbar, you will find nine icons – TEXT FORM FIELD – CHECK BOX FORM FIELD – DROP-DOWN FORM FIELD – FORM FIELD OPTIONS – DRAW TABLE – INSERT TABLE – INSERT FRAME – FORM FIELD SHADING – PROTECT FORM.
        Text Form Field – When you press this icon, it will create a small gray box at the point where your cursor is (if you do not see anything, but do notice that your cursor has moved a few spaces to the right, then the FORM FIELD SHADING button is not pressed – to see your field, press that button).
        Check Box Form Field – This icon will create a small square box. When your form is turned on, you will use the space bar to place an X in the box or remove an X from the box.
        Drop-Down Form Field – This icon will create a drop down menu of choices that you wish a person to use in this field. This helps to keep the spelling correct.
        Form Field Options – Once you have created a field, you use this icon to set the field to your specifications. For example:
                TEXT FORM FIELD – Here you can enter the text that normally would be entered here – the default text – but a person would be able to overtype it when using the form. You can also add a Help message to this field that would be viewable on the status bar at the bottom of the window or when the F1 key was pressed.
                CHECK BOX FORM FIELD – Here you would enter whether you wanted the box checked to start with or not – the size of the check box – and set up the Help message for this field.
                DROP-DOWN FORM FIELD – Here you would create a list that would appear for the field choices – and set up the Help message for this field.
        Tables – How to create your tables is determined by the form that you are trying to create. Many forms have various amounts of boxes (or spaces) to be filled out in the row – maybe First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name on the first line and Address, City, State, Zipcode on the second. This would mean that we would want three boxes on the first line and four boxes on the second line. Therefore, we would have to create two different tables. Create a table (by using the INSERT TABLE icon on the Forms toolbar) and choose 1x3 to create a table that is one row but has three boxes or fields. You will then notice your cursor flashing in the first box of your new table – and if you look back at your Forms toolbar, the INSERT TABLE icon has disappeared and an Insert Rows icon has taken its place. Use your down arrow key or your mouse to move out of the table to the space underneath it. You will still notice that the icon has not returned. What you have to do is hit the ENTER key to move down one more row, then your Insert Table icon will reappear and you can then Insert another table, this time a 1x4 (one row with four boxes or fields).
        Once you have created these tables, you can delete the space from between them, and they will still stay independent tables. You can adjust the size of each one – change the borders, etc. If you right click in a cell and choose BORDERS AND SHADING – you can change the border around the cell to be bold or remove one side of it – plus other choices. If you want this change to be applied only to the cell that your cursor is in, then be sure to tell it to APPLY TO CELL – rather than APPLY TO TABLE. This is also where you would change the color or background of the cell or table. By right clicking in a cell and choosing ALIGNMENT, you can place your text centered or to the top or bottom of the cell. By right clicking in a cell and choosing TEXT DIRECTION, you can type vertically in your cell.
        Protect – With this icon (the last one on the Forms toolbar or it can be accessed from TOOLS – PROTECT DOCUMENT) – you protect your document. This blocks changes from being made and this is what creates the ability to bring the form in and use the TAB key to move from field to field.