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My Repeating Data
Word Help and Tips page describes several methods that enable a document user to type data in one place and have it
repeated (or populated) in one or more other places in the document.
One of the most powerful and versatile methods is the Content Control
introduced in Word2007 that can be mapped to XML data stored in the
document. The designer's of Word2007 obviously
saw the benefit of this method because they were nice enough to
incorporate fifteen builtin, mapped controls into every new document.
These controls correspond to the fifteen builtin "document properties"
from previous versions of Word. In fact they are still called
"document properties!" To view and use one of
these controls you simply click the Insert tab>QuickParts> and select
the property you want to insert. In the example shown below, I
inserted the "Author" document property. |
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You can confirm that this "document property"
is displayed to the user in a Content Control by selecting the the
control then clicking the Developer Tab>Controls>Properties.
The dialog displayed shows the control properties including the
title "Author." |
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Each of the fifteen (15) builtin document
properties are mapped to a builtin customXMLPart of the document
Office Open XML File format. As explained in
Repeating Data if you copy and
paste one of the controls to a different location in the document
then the copy is also mapped to the same XML data. Changes
made to in the XML data, the original control, or to one or more
copies are automatically reflected in in all the other mapped
locations. |
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There would be no need for this tips page if
the need to map data could be met in every document with just
fifteen pre-defined controls. We all know that is not the
case. Repeating Data
explains this and provides several workarounds including steps for
creating and mapping your own controls. |
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This tips page provides a Word AddIn that does
all the work for you and allows you to create multiple mapped
content controls with just a few mouse clicks. The AddIn is
created using a multipage Userform. Features are described
below with illustrations. |
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The Addin customizes the Word Ribbon and adds a command group and
two command icons to the Add-Ins Tab. |
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The first screen allows the document designer to
insert a text, dropdown, combobox, date, or picture content control.
The Addin requires you to designate a URI Namespace (upon mapping
the first control only) and a unique title for each content control
that your create and map. The control can be locked for content changes or
protected from inadvertent deletion.
Text controls can be
enabled for multiple lines.
If the control is created in a
template file (.dotx or .dotm), the document designer can create a
building block entry from the control.
Confession: This AddIn
started from a small piece of code I had worked on a year or so
previously that simply created a building block entry from a
selected content control. That is why it is included here. I
think it is easier to simply copy and paste the control so this
feature doesn't have much practical value.
Note: This AddIn can
only be used in documents created in Word2007 using the Office Open
XML File format. For this reason and to prevent errors, you
must first save a new
document with a docx, docm, dotx, or docm
format before using the AddIn. |
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The AddIn provides the interface for assigning the list members of
dropdown and combobox controls. You can add members, remove members,
or rearrange members. |
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The AddIn provides simple interface to delete content controls,
clear content, and delete mapping.
Note: This AddIn uses the content
control "title" as the data key for most operations involving a
deletions. Only titled and mapped CCs will appear in the list
of content controls. However, if user adds a content control
using the developer tab that has a title that matches a mapped
control that control will be processed (i.e., deleted) using this
AddIn. |
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It is really quite simple. You just add
the mapped control and then copy the control to as many place as you
want to repeat the data. |
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The Add-In is provided here in a
zip file format. You can download
Create and Map Content
Controls to your Word Templates
directory and load it using Developer>Templates. For more
on Add-Ins and how to load them, see the heading "Organizing Global
Templates" at:
Organizing Your Macros |
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