Inserting AutoText as a row in MS Word using VBA - vba

I am attempting to create an "Add Row" button in an MS Word 2016 form that will add another row to the bottom of a table that contains text content controls.
Simply adding a row doesn't include the content controls and copying a previous row will also copy over any text that has been added to those content controls, neither of which I want.
I read somewhere that it is possible to save an unpopulated row as AutoText, then insert the AutoText as a new row. I just am unable to find how to do this. I have the unpopulated row saved as AutoText, I just don't know how to add it to the bottom of the table using VBA.
Also, the form will be edit protected. The VBA code needed to unlock the form then relock it I already have. I am just leaving it off for right now while I attempt to figure this out.
I tried the below code, but keep getting a type mismatch error.
Private Sub AddInmate_Click()
ActiveDocument.Tables(2).Select
NormalTemplate.AutoTextEntries("Inmate_Row").Insert _
Where:=ActiveDocument.Tables(2).Range.Rows.Last
End Sub
Any help you all can provide is greatly appreciated.

The attempt is very close - it's trying to insert the new row "on top of" or "in" the last row. The trick is to get the table's Range then collapse it so that the target insertion point is immediately after the table. When table rows are pasted/inserted immediately after an existing table, inside the same paragraph mark, Word auotomatically incorporates them in the existing table.
Private Sub AddInmate_Click()
Dim tmpl As Word.Template
Dim rngTbl As Word.Range
Set rngTbl = ActiveDocument.Tables(2).Range
rngTbl.Collapse wdCollapseEnd
Set tmpl = NormalTemplate
tmpl.BuildingBlockEntries("Inmate_Row").Insert _
Where:=rngTbl, RichText:=True
End Sub

The approach I'd take is to use code like:
With Selection.Tables(1).Rows
'Insert an empty paragraph after our table, then replace it with a replica of the last row
With .Last.Range
.Next.InsertBefore vbCr
.Next.FormattedText = .FormattedText
End With
'Reset all content controls in the new last row
For Each CCtrl In .Last.Range.ContentControls
With CCtrl
If .Type = wdContentControlCheckBox Then .Checked = False
If .Type = wdContentControlRichText Or .Type = wdContentControlText Then .Range.Text = ""
If .Type = wdContentControlDropdownList Then .DropdownListEntries(1).Select
If .Type = wdContentControlComboBox Then .DropdownListEntries(1).Select
If .Type = wdContentControlDate Then .Range.Text = ""
End With
Next
End With
For a complete ContentControlOnExit macro implementing this in a situation analogous to yours, see: http://www.msofficeforums.com/word-vba/27809-code-add-new-row-table.html#post87989

Related

MS Word updating links: Why does changing a .LinkFormat property reset field Index

I hope my first post will be OK and not offend (I've tried to follow the guide and done a lot of searching).
I've modified the below code from Greg Maxey (https://gregmaxey.com/word_tip_pages/word_fields.html) to update links in my Word document to an Excel workbook. It seems to be the most used code for this purpose. The reason I changed his code was to try to do away with the need to have a counter variable like i, and using a For i = 1 to .Fields.Count Then... Next i structure.
When I run it as is, it gets stuck in a loop only updating the first field in the Word document. To see this, I put in the Debug.Print wrdField.Index line. It repeatedly outputs 1, so it is not moving to the Next wrdField as I expect (the code actually just used Next, but it's the same result if I use Next wrdField).
When I comment out .AutoUpdate = False, it works properly:
Public Sub UpdateExternalLinksToCurrentFolder()
Dim wrdDocument As Word.Document
Dim wrdField As Word.Field
Dim strCurrentLinkedWorkbookPath, strNewLinkedWorkbookPath As String
Dim strCurrentLinkedWorkbookName, strNewLinkedWorkbookName As String
Dim strCurrentLinkedWorkbookFullName, strNewLinkedWorkbookFullName As String
Dim strThisDocumentPath As String
'On Error GoTo ErrorHandler_UpdateExternalLinksToCurrentFolder
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Set wrdDocument = ActiveDocument
strThisDocumentPath = wrdDocument.Path & Application.PathSeparator
strNewLinkedWorkbookPath = strThisDocumentPath
With wrdDocument
For Each wrdField In .Fields
With wrdField
If .Type = wdFieldLink Then
With .LinkFormat
Debug.Print wrdField.Index
strCurrentLinkedWorkbookPath = .SourcePath & Application.PathSeparator
strCurrentLinkedWorkbookName = .SourceName
strNewLinkedWorkbookName = strCurrentLinkedWorkbookName
strNewLinkedWorkbookFullName = strNewLinkedWorkbookPath & strNewLinkedWorkbookName
.AutoUpdate = False
End With
.Code.Text = VBA.Replace(.Code.Text, Replace(strCurrentLinkedWorkbookPath, "\", "\\"), Replace(strNewLinkedWorkbookPath, "\", "\\"))
End If
End With
Next
End With
Set wrdDocument = Nothing
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Exit Sub
Can anyone tell my why it's behaving this way? When I set .AutoUpdate = False, am I changing something about the link field or doing something to the Word document that causes the .wrdField.Index to reset to 1? I can't find anything online documenting this behavior and it's driving me nuts.
Behind the scenes, what's happening is that Word recreates the content and the field. The orginal linked content is removed and new content inserted. So that essentially destroys the field and recreates it. A user won't notice this, but VBA does.
When dealing with a loop situation that uses an index and the looped items are being removed, it's therefore customary to loop backwards (from the end of the document to the beginning). Which cannot be done with For...Each.

VBA Expand/Collapse rows

I have a report in which I am asking the users to click buttons to reveal where they need to add their commentary. I have it working but wanted to put in an If statement in case they have already expanded the row.
I have two macros, the first relates to the button they push and sends to the main macro the name of the button and a row number which is part of the section that is either expanded or collapsed
Sub ROccupancy()
'
Dim RecName As String
RecName = "ROccupancy"
Dim RowNum As Integer
RowNum = 27
Call ToogleRec(RecName, RowNum)
End Sub
The next macro is where I am having the trouble
Sub ToogleRec(RecName, RowNum)
'
Dim Toogle As String
Dim MyObj As Object
Set MyObj = ActiveSheet.Shapes.Range(Array(RecName))
Toogle = Left(MyObj.TextFrame2.TextRange.Characters.Text, 4)
TextName = Mid(MyObj.TextFrame2.TextRange.Characters.Text, 5, 100)
If Toogle = "Show" Then
MyObj.ShapeStyle = msoShapeStylePreset9
MyObj.TextFrame2.TextRange.Characters.Text = _
"Hide" & TextName
MsgBox Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail
If Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail = False Then
Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail = True
End If
Else
MyObj.ShapeStyle = msoShapeStylePreset11
MyObj.TextFrame2.TextRange.Characters.Text = _
"Show" & TextName
MsgBox Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail
If Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail = True Then
Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail = False
End If
End If
Range("C" & RowNum).Select
End Sub
The issue is the Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail is always TRUE, no matter if it's expanded or collapsed. I can remove the If section and set it to TRUE or FALSE using "Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail = False" or "Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail = TRUE". However, if the user has manually expanded or collapsed the row it causes an error (which freaks them out)
This question and answer seemed promising but Rows(RowNum).ShowDetail always seems to be TRUE
I put the MsgBox in there for error checking. I'll remove it in the final version.
Have you tried using Hidden property? Something like:
With Sheet1.Rows(5)
.ShowDetail = .Hidden
End With
Take note though that for you to use .ShowDetail method, you'll need to Group the rows first (needs to be in outline form).
True if the outline is expanded for the specified range (so that the detail of the column or row is visible). The specified range must be a single summary column or row in an outline.
Above code toggles hiding/unhiding a grouped row 5. You don't even need an If statement for the toggling. HTH.

Macro to update all fields in a word document

I have built - over the years - a vba macro that is supposed to update all fields in a word document.
I invoke this macro before releasing the document for review to ensure all headers and footers etc are correct.
Currently - it look like this:
Sub UpdateAllFields()
'
' UpdateAllFields Macro
'
'
Dim doc As Document ' Pointer to Active Document
Dim wnd As Window ' Pointer to Document's Window
Dim lngMain As Long ' Main Pane Type Holder
Dim lngSplit As Long ' Split Type Holder
Dim lngActPane As Long ' ActivePane Number
Dim rngStory As Range ' Range Objwct for Looping through Stories
Dim TOC As TableOfContents ' Table of Contents Object
Dim TOA As TableOfAuthorities 'Table of Authorities Object
Dim TOF As TableOfFigures 'Table of Figures Object
Dim shp As Shape
' Set Objects
Set doc = ActiveDocument
Set wnd = doc.ActiveWindow
' get Active Pane Number
lngActPane = wnd.ActivePane.Index
' Hold View Type of Main pane
lngMain = wnd.Panes(1).View.Type
' Hold SplitSpecial
lngSplit = wnd.View.SplitSpecial
' Get Rid of any split
wnd.View.SplitSpecial = wdPaneNone
' Set View to Normal
wnd.View.Type = wdNormalView
' Loop through each story in doc to update
For Each rngStory In doc.StoryRanges
If rngStory.StoryType = wdCommentsStory Then
Application.DisplayAlerts = wdAlertsNone
' Update fields
rngStory.Fields.Update
Application.DisplayAlerts = wdAlertsAll
Else
' Update fields
rngStory.Fields.Update
If rngStory.StoryType <> wdMainTextStory Then
While Not (rngStory.NextStoryRange Is Nothing)
Set rngStory = rngStory.NextStoryRange
rngStory.Fields.Update
Wend
End If
End If
Next
For Each shp In doc.Shapes
If shp.Type <> msoPicture Then
With shp.TextFrame
If .HasText Then
shp.TextFrame.TextRange.Fields.Update
End If
End With
End If
Next
' Loop through TOC and update
For Each TOC In doc.TablesOfContents
TOC.Update
Next
' Loop through TOA and update
For Each TOA In doc.TablesOfAuthorities
TOA.Update
Next
' Loop through TOF and update
For Each TOF In doc.TablesOfFigures
TOF.Update
Next
' Header and footer too.
UpdateHeader
UpdateFooter
' Return Split to original state
wnd.View.SplitSpecial = lngSplit
' Return main pane to original state
wnd.Panes(1).View.Type = lngMain
' Active proper pane
wnd.Panes(lngActPane).Activate
' Close and release all pointers
Set wnd = Nothing
Set doc = Nothing
End Sub
Sub UpdateFooter()
Dim i As Integer
'exit if no document is open
If Documents.Count = 0 Then Exit Sub
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
'Get page count
i = ActiveDocument.BuiltInDocumentProperties(14)
If i >= 1 Then 'Update fields in Footer
For Each footer In ActiveDocument.Sections(ActiveDocument.Sections.Count).Footers()
footer.Range.Fields.Update
Next
End If
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
'Update only the fields in your footer like:
Sub UpdateHeader()
Dim i As Integer
'exit if no document is open
If Documents.Count = 0 Then Exit Sub
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
'Get page count
i = ActiveDocument.BuiltInDocumentProperties(14)
If i >= 1 Then 'Update fields in Header
For Each header In ActiveDocument.Sections(ActiveDocument.Sections.Count).Headers()
header.Range.Fields.Update
Next
End If
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
I have noticed recently that it sometimes misses some sections of the document. Today it missed First page footer -section 2- (the document version was not updated).
I have built this macro over a number of years and several bouts of research but I am not proud of it so please suggest a complete replacement if there is now a clean way of doing it. I am using Word 2007.
To test, create a word document and add a custom field named Version and give it a value. Then use that field {DOCPROPERTY Version \* MERGEFORMAT } in as many places as you can. Headers, Footers, first-page, subsequent page etc. etc. Remember to make a multi-section document with different header/footers. Then change the property and invoke the macro. It currently does quite a good job, handling TOCs and TOAs an TOFs etc, it just seems to skip footers (sometimes) in a multi-section document for example.
Edit
The challenging document that seems to cause the most problems is structured like this:
It has 3 sections.
Section 1 is for the title page and TOC so the first page of that section has no header/footer but does use the Version property on it. Subsequent pages have page numbering in roman numerals for the TOC.
Section 2 is for the body of the document and has headers and footers.
Section 3 is for the copyright blurb and this has a very strange header and a cut-down footer.
All footers contain the Version custom document property.
My code above seems to work in all cases except sometimes it misses first page footer of sections 2 and 3.
For years, the standard I've used for updating all fields (with the exception of TOC, etc. which are handled separately) in a document is the one the Word MVPs use and recommend, which I'll copy here. It comes from Greg Maxey's site: http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tip_pages/word_fields.html. One thing it does that I don't see in your version is update any fields in Shapes (text boxes) in the header/footer.
Public Sub UpdateAllFields()
Dim rngStory As Word.Range
Dim lngJunk As Long
Dim oShp As Shape
lngJunk = ActiveDocument.Sections(1).Headers(1).Range.StoryType
For Each rngStory In ActiveDocument.StoryRanges
'Iterate through all linked stories
Do
On Error Resume Next
rngStory.Fields.Update
Select Case rngStory.StoryType
Case 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
If rngStory.ShapeRange.Count > 0 Then
For Each oShp In rngStory.ShapeRange
If oShp.TextFrame.HasText Then
oShp.TextFrame.TextRange.Fields.Update
End If
Next
End If
Case Else
'Do Nothing
End Select
On Error GoTo 0
'Get next linked story (if any)
Set rngStory = rngStory.NextStoryRange
Loop Until rngStory Is Nothing
Next
End Sub
Some research and experimentation produced the following addition which seems to solve the additional problem of updating the headers/footers in a multi-section document.
Add the following dimensions to the earlier answer:
dim sctn as Word.Section
dim hdft as Word.HeaderFooter
And then, add to the earlier code
for each sctn in doc.Sections
for each hdft in sctn.Headers
hdft.Range.Fields.Update
next
for each hdft in sctn.Footers
hdft.Range.Fields.Update
next
next
However - I am still not happy with this code and would very much like to replace it with something less hacky.
Thanks for these answers! I found the answers very good and learned some stuff about ms-word macros. I thought I'd make my own answer for consideration (and adding some more search engine keywords - my searches didn't bring me here immediately).
I took inspiration from the citations in the footnotes.
I had an issue where MS Word fields were not updating in Textbox (Shapes).
I was working on a 70 page word document (Word 2013) that contained a lot of figures/images/captions and cross-references. A common practice is for an image to be captioned e.g. Figure 7, so it can be easily cross-referenced. Often the caption is inside a textbox (shape) and grouped with/to the object its captioning.
So after some document editing and content reorganisation, the fields and cross-references can easily get out of logical sequence.
OK - no problem... pressing CTRL+A then F9 to update the document fields should solve this?
Unfortunately that didn't work as expected to update fields in textboxes (shapes).
In this scenario where fields exist inside textboxes (shapes) CTRL+A then F9 only updated the fields not inside a textbox (shape).
One can assume this behaviour is because field updating (F9) works on selected text, and with the CTRL+A then F9 approach only text outside of the textboxes (shapes) is selected, so the field update only applies outside of textboxes (shapes).
I'm surprised there is not a button on the ribbon to perform an "update all fields". There could even be a toggle option to prompt the user to update all fields when closing a document?
I checked Word's (2013) ribbon command list, and didn't find an Update All command.
Solution UpdateAllFields()
Like the code shared by #Cindy here, the following code should update fields wherever they are in the doc, header, footer, main doc, textbox, grouped and nested grouped textbox.
Create a macro with the following code, and then add to the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)
Press ALT+F8 to open the Macros dialogue.
Enter a name for the Macro: UpdateAllFields
Press Create button
Paste the code:
Sub UpdateAllFields()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
With ActiveDocument
.Fields.Update
.PrintPreview
.ClosePrintPreview
End With
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
Finally add the Macro to the Quick Access Toolbar.
Citations and inspirations:
The Q&A's in this post!
There is a related post on the Microsoft Community here: Word 365 Fields not updating in Textbox [serious reproducible error]. This suggests the issue is present in at least Word 2013 and Word 365.
There is a related post on Stack Overflow here: Macro to update fields in shapes (textboxes) in footer in Microsoft Word.
Another example UpdateTextboxFields()
This was the first version of code I wrote as I was in research and solution mode. Its a recursive approach to update fields inside textboxes, even if they are inside a group, or nested group. This doesn't update fields outside shapes.
Public Sub UpdateTextboxFields()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
With ActiveDocument
Call IterateShapesCollection(.Shapes)
.PrintPreview
.ClosePrintPreview
End With
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
Private Sub IterateShapesCollection(col)
Dim shp As Shape
For Each shp In col
' https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/vba/api/office.msoshapetype
' Ignore images and
If 1 = shp.Type Or 13 = shp.Type Then
GoTo NextIteration
End If
'Debug.Print ("Name: " & shp.Name & ", Type: " & shp.Type)
' if the type is a group, recurse
If 6 = shp.Type Then
Call IterateShapesCollection(shp.GroupItems)
Else
Call UpdateShapeFields(shp)
End If
NextIteration:
Next
End Sub
Private Sub UpdateShapeFields(shp)
With shp.TextFrame
If .HasText Then
.TextRange.Fields.Update
End If
End With
End Sub
Word display option: Update fields before printing
cite: Microsoft article Some fields are updated while other fields are not
The concept behind this option/approach is: all document fields are updated when you open print preview.
It looks like this option in Word (tested in 2013) updates all fields with a caveat - see below - you may need to open and close print preview twice.
File → Options → Display → Print options section → Update fields before printing
Caveat if the doc has cross-references to figures/captions
This caveat applies to the word "Update fields before printing" display option and the UpdateAllFields() macro.
IF the document contains cross-references to figures/captions (with numbers), and those figures/captions have changed sequence/place in the document...
You must update the fields twice, 1) to reflect the figures/captions update, and then 2) to update the cross-references.

Using Cross Reference Field Code to move selection to Target of Field Code

OP Update:
Thanks for the code KazJaw, it prompted me to change the approach I am trying to tackle the problem with. This is my current code:
Sub Method3()
Dim intFieldCount As Integer
Dim i As Integer
Dim vSt1 As String
intFieldCount = ActiveDocument.Fields.Count
For i = 1 To intFieldCount
ActiveDocument.Fields(i).Select 'selects the first field in the doc
Selection.Expand
vSt1 = Selection.Fields(1).Code
'MsgBox vSt1
vSt1 = Split(vSt1, " ")(2) 'Find out what the (2) does
MsgBox vSt1
ActiveDocument.Bookmarks(vSt1).Select 'Selects the current crossreference in the ref list
Next i
End Sub
Ok the so the Code currently finds the first field in the document, reads its field code and then jumps to the location in the document to mimic a CTRL+Click.
However, It does this for all types of fields Bookmarks, endnotes, figures, tables etc. I only want to find Reference fields. I thought I could deduce this from the field code but it turns out figures and bookmarks use the same field code layout ie.
A Reference/Boookmark has a field code {REF_REF4123123214\h}
A Figure cross ref has the field code {REF_REF407133655\h}
Is there an effective way to get VBA to distinguish between the two? I was thinking as reference fields in the document are written as (Reference 1) I could find the field and then string compare the word on the left to see if it says "Reference".
I was thinking of using the MoveLeft Method to do this
Selection.MoveLeft
But I can't work out how to move left 1 word from the current selection and select that word instead to do the strcomp
Or perhaps I can check the field type? with...
If Selection.Type = wdFieldRef Then
Do Something
End If
But I am not sure which "Type" i should be looking for.
Any advice is appreciated
All REF fields "reference" bookmarks. Word sets bookmarks on all objects that get a reference for a REF field: figures, headings, etc. There's no way to distinguish from the content of the field what's at the other end. You need to "inspect" that target, which you can do without actually selecting it. For example, you could check whether the first six letters are "Figure".
The code you have is inefficient - there's no need to use the Selection object to get the field code. The following is more efficient:
Sub Method3()
Dim fld As Word.Field
Dim rng as Word.Range
Dim vSt1 As String
ForEach fld in ActiveDocument.Fields
vSt1 = fld.Code
'MsgBox vSt1
vSt1 = Split(vSt1, " ")(2) 'Find out what the (2) does
MsgBox vSt1
Set rng = ActiveDocument.Bookmarks(vSt1).Range
If Left(rng.Text, 6) <> "Figure" Then
rng.Select
End If
Next
End Sub

Open Website in excel using ActiveWorkbook.FollowHyperlink

So, this is basically what I'm trying to do. I have a column of employee #'s in a file that's generated from MSSQL. I want to create a function in a cell where the URL would be, http://www.someplace.com/employee.php?ID=Employee#FromCell
So far all of the examples that I've found aren't detailed enough for me to figure out what to do with it. I know this isn't correct, but this is what I ended up with so far
Function openurl(strSKU As String)
ActiveWorkbook.FollowHyperlink Address:="http://www.someplace.com/employee.php?ID=?strSKU=" & strSKU, NewWindow:=True
End Function
I think I'm mixing up methods with functions but I'm not sure where to go with it. I basically want to add it in as a function to make it easier to insert into the column.
I see someone provided you with a work-around for accomplishing this, but I'll give you the method you were asking for (just in case). FYI the intellisense sucks in VBA when referencing OLE objects (i.e., some methods may not appear to belong to the button objects, but they do).
The script below will create the buttons for you automatically, and will send the user to the site you specified when clicked. **I included notes which explain what each line does.
This creates the buttons in columns B and gets the URL parameter from column A:
Sub CreateButtons()
Dim btn As Button 'Create a variable for our button
Application.ScreenUpdating = False 'Speed up the process by disabling ScreenUpdating
ActiveSheet.Buttons.Delete 'Delete existing buttons.
Dim Report As Worksheet 'Create our worksheet variable.
Set Report = Excel.ActiveSheet 'Set our worksheet to the worksheet variable.
Dim t As Range 'Create a variable for the cells we will reference.
For i = 1 To Report.UsedRange.Rows.Count 'This will loop through each row in the used range of our worksheet.
If Report.Cells(i, 1).Value <> "" Then 'If the value of the first cell is not empty, then do the following...
Set t = Report.Range(Cells(i, 2), Cells(i, 2)) 'Assign the cell in the second column of the current row to the cell variable.
Set btn = Report.Buttons.Add(t.Left, t.Top, t.Width, t.Height) 'Create a button and place it in the cell in the second column.
With btn
.OnAction = "openurl" 'Set the button to trigger the openurl sub-routine when it is clicked.
.Caption = Report.Cells(i, 1).Value 'Set the caption of the button to equal the value of the cell in the first column.
.Name = i 'Set the name of the button to equal the row on which it resides. This name will be used in the openurl sub; So don't change it.
End With
End If
Next i
End Sub
This is the macro performed when the user clicks a button:
Sub openurl()
Dim Report As Worksheet 'Create a variable for the worksheet
Set Report = Excel.ActiveSheet 'Assign the worksheet to our variable
Dim i As Integer 'Create a variable for our row number
i = Application.Caller 'Assign name of the button to our row number.
Dim address As String 'Create a variable for our address
address = "http://www.someplace.com/employee.php?ID=?strSKU=" & Report.Cells(i, 1).Value 'Assign the URL to our address variable.
ActiveWorkbook.FollowHyperlink address:=address, NewWindow:=True 'Send the user to the URL you specified (with the URL parameter at the end).
End Sub
BONUS INFO:
Follow the next step to have the entire process done for you automatically:
When you say the current data is populated from a MSSQL database, you probably mean you are pulling the data into Excel using another VBA sub or function. If so, then if you place a script to call the "CreateButtons()" subroutine after the script that pulls the data, this entire process will be done for you automagically. Example:
Sub getEmployeeData() 'This represents your sub that pulls your data from MSSQL
'================================================================
'This represents your script to get your information into Excel.
'================================================================
Call CreateButtons 'This runs the CreateButtons() subroutine.
End Sub
Enjoy!
You can do this without VBA. You can use a formula.
=Hyperlink("http://www.someplace.com/employee.php?ID="&A1,A1)
Where A1 would have the employee ID.
Check out this post I made about creating hyperlinks from External Data:
http://www.spreadsheetsmadeeasy.com/creating-hyperlinks-with-external-data/
Scroll down to the "Add Hyperlinks" section for more info.