Urgent Autotext issue 2000-2007

[moggymiaow]

I am using word 2007 to create forms I have come across a show stopper.Autotext entries which are created in 2007 are not available in word 2000I can see them listed in the organiser, I can even click and preview some of them, however if I try to insert them they do not get inserted.If I use vba I get an error saying the autotext entry cannot be found.The forms have to be able to be used in word 2000.Is there a fix for this? I need one urgently

[moggymiaow]

I should add, I am saving them as .dot files

[Charles Kenyon]

Can you attach a zipped .dot file with one or more of these ghost AT entries? I no longer have Word 2000 on my computer but I can look in Word 97. The same problem should show up there.

To attach a file, use the "Go Advanced" button and click on the paperclip.

[moggymiaow]

On further investigation, the problem is when the autotext entries contain form fields, which most of them did, those without form fields could be seen, those with cannot. A bug which has been fixed in word 2007 obviously.The only way I could think to get around this would be to have an exteral file and store the entries in book marked areas and copy and paste, however it was not a solution that I wanted to go with and so have had to restrict what can be done with the document if the user is using word 2000 (some users do have 2007)

[Charles Kenyon]

Originally Posted by moggymiaow

On further investigation, the problem is when the autotext entries contain form fields, which most of them did, those without form fields could be seen, those with cannot. A bug which has been fixed in word 2007 obviously.The only way I could think to get around this would be to have an exteral file and store the entries in book marked areas and copy and paste, however it was not a solution that I wanted to go with and so have had to restrict what can be done with the document if the user is using word 2000 (some users do have 2007)

There is no compatibility pack allowing Word 2000 to open .docx files. Even with that I doubt this would work.

I suspect that your AutoText entries included the new form fields (Content Controls) rather than legacy form fields. These new fields are the default ones on the Developer Tab. Greg Maxey has a free Add-In that gives easier access to the legacy form controls. Add Classic FormField Controls to Ribbon

Also, Greg has another Add-In that makes it easier to use and organize AutoText in Word 2007. Building Blocks & AutoText

AutoText, back to Word 97, can hold form fields, but non-ribbon versions of Word do not know what to do with Content Controls.

Automated Boilerplate Using Microsoft Word

[moggymiaow]

no, they are definitely not content controls.Even if you create the entries in word 2000 with controls in them, you cannot insert them.If you try and use the organiser to copy them from one template to another it lists them, but then give the error that the entry doe not exist when you click copy.