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A frequent question in Microsoft Word user forums is, "How can I create a document so that the display of certain information can be expanded or collapsed?"

Applications for this type of document might include:

• A schedule of events with the display of event details hidden unless a user elects to see the details.
• A procedure might have general steps with an option to display more detailed instructions.
• Teachers might prepare a set of math problems with the option to display how the problem is worked out, or a set of question with an option to display the answers.

This Microsoft Word Help & Microsoft Word Tips page provides some methods and techniques to allow the document user to show/hide (or expand/collapse) document content.

Method 1 – Fields and AutoText

The first method uses a combination of fields, a bookmark, VBA procedures, a document variable, and AutoText.

• A MacroButton field provides the user interface and serves to execute the VBA procedures.
• A bookmark defines a named range location in the document and bounds the MacroButton field.
• A set of VBA procedures serve as the toggles.
• A document variable stores the toggle value.
• An AutoText (or Building Block) entry is used to display the data.

It sounds complex, but it really isn't.  The following illustrates sample text using this method showing the data collapsed and expanded.

Data collapsed

Data expanded

First lets look and the fields. The following depicts the document with field codes displayed.

Note:  The second illustration shows the field code of one of the two macrobutton fields expanded horizontally for clarity.  I've applied 4 pt. font size to the actual macrobutton fields to keep the row height in check when displaying the field code.

Actual field code text


MACROBUTTON field expanded horizontally for clarity


IF field enlarge for clarity depicting nested DOCVARIABLE & AUTOTEXT fields.

• The MACROBUTTON field generate the display of the radio button and fires the designated macro when the user double-clicks the radio button.
The IF field evaluates the value of the document variable defined in the DOCVARIABLE field and provides a conditional output.
The DOCVARIABLE field returns the value stored in the defined document variable.
• The AUTOTEXT fields display the defined AUTOTEXT entry. The AUTOTEXT fields are set and displayed as the IF field "true" condition .

Note: For more on conditional IF fields see my:  Conditional Headers and Footers.

VBA procedures shown in the code pane below are used to set a value in the in a document variable. I have placed bookmarks around the MacroButton fields to create a named range.  This simplifies the VBA procedures. 

Option Explicit
Const strValue_1 = "Show"
Const strValue_2 = "Hide"
Sub CallShowHide()
  'This is the procedure defined in the MACROBUTTON.
  'It is the current selection and it is bound by a bookmark.
  'Call procedure and pass bookmark name as argument.
  ShowHide Selection.Bookmarks(1).Name
lbl_Exit:
  Exit Sub
End Sub

Sub ShowHide(ByRef strVarName As String)
Dim strValue As String
  'An error will occur if the document variable does not yet exist.
  On Error Resume Next
  'What is the value of the named document variable if it exists?
  strValue = ActiveDocument.Variables(strVarName)
  On Error GoTo 0
  'Set\toggle value
  If strValue = "" Or strValue = strValue_2 Then
    strValue = strValue_1
  Else
    strValue = strValue_2
  End If
  'Create/Redefine document variable value.
  ActiveDocument.Variables(strVarName).Value = strValue
  'Let the IF field do its deed.
  ActiveDocument.Fields.Update
lbl_Exit:
  Exit Sub
End Sub

See: Installing Macros for instructions on how to set up and use the macros provided in this Microsoft Word Help & Microsoft Word Tips page.

Method 2 – Expand/Collapse Defined Range

A table row can serve as an ideal defined range which can be expanded and collapsed to show or hide document data.

ActiveX controls carry some baggage (see: ActiveX Form Controls ), but they work well in this application.  Since ActiveX controls are properties of the special ThisDocument class place the following code in the "ThisDocument" module of the VB project.

Private Sub ToggleButton1_Click()
  With ActiveDocument.Tables(2).Rows(2)
    If .HeightRule = wdRowHeightExactly Then
      .HeightRule = wdRowHeightAuto
      ToggleButton1.Caption = "Hide"
      .Borders(wdBorderBottom).LineStyle = wdLineStyleSingle
      .Borders(wdBorderLeft).LineStyle = wdLineStyleSingle
      .Borders(wdBorderRight).LineStyle = wdLineStyleSingle
    Else
      ToggleButton1.Caption = "Show"
      .HeightRule = wdRowHeightExactly
      .Height = ".5"
      .Borders(wdBorderBottom).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
      .Borders(wdBorderLeft).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
      .Borders(wdBorderRight).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
  End If
  End With
lbl_Exit:
  Exit Sub
End Sub

There is usually several ways to perform a specialized task like this in Word. Word MVP Klaus Linke has develop a nifty process using MacroButton fields, VBA, and styles to expand and collapse text. By his own admission, there are a few barbs in the code. A copy of Klaus's work is provided in this tips page demonstration package.

Note: This tips page, illustrations and examples were developed using Word 2003. It is wholly functional with Word 2007 and 2010.

That's it! I hope you have found this tips page useful and informative.  I'm including a demonstration package containing the documents used to create this tips page here: Toggle Data Display.

This page was last updated on February 19, 2012

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