Protecting text in a Word Document (Word 2000/SP 2)

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We have a collection of templates that we use to assemble software peer review packages. Our Configuration Management team has very specific requirements for the format and content of these documents, so fixed text (heading titles, content descriptions, check lists, etc) are in the template and the template is broken into a large number of sections. The template is then protected as a form, leaving the sections that can have text entered by a user unprotected. The problem with this is the many of the Word functions are not available on the form (cross references, figure and table captions, etc.). My task is to find a way to provide the user with the tools needed to produce a package and still provide the protection that CM needs.

We tried using the old form fields, but they were much too limited in their capabilities to be an option. That’s why we went to copious sections, protecting the fixed sections, but leaving the others unprotected. This let us continue to use check boxes and fill-in fields in a few places where they were needed.

Is there a way to mark text as protected other than by using the form capabilities? Alternatively, is there a way to get the disabled capabilities, such as captions and cross referencing, to work when a document is protected as a form?

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From a demo I saw, it appears that Word 2003 is much improved in this area. However, working with what you have, it might be possible to provide for a way to provide access to selected features using VBA and an unprotect/reprotect approach. There are examples on the web for spell checking, but for more complex/interactive operations, I couldn’t say whether it’s feasible.

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You could “hijack” all the disabled menu-entries in a protected form, by writing macro’s with the exact same name as the built-in Word commands. Word then executes your macro instead of the built-in command. In these macro’s you can use the standard Word dialogs. It’s laborious, but it works. Example:

Public Sub FilePrint()
If Documents.Count > 0 Then ‘Sub generates error if no doc exists
Dialogs(wdDialogFilePrint).Show
End If
End Sub

In Word XP / 2003 you also could use a different approach, with the WindowSelectionChange event (see post 342898 from HansV). I’m not sure whether or not that event is available in Word 2000.

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You could “hijack” all the disabled menu-entries in a protected form, by writing macro’s with the exact same name as the built-in Word commands. Word then executes your macro instead of the built-in command. In these macro’s you can use the standard Word dialogs. It’s laborious, but it works. Example:

Public Sub FilePrint()
If Documents.Count > 0 Then ‘Sub generates error if no doc exists
Dialogs(wdDialogFilePrint).Show
End If
End Sub

In Word XP / 2003 you also could use a different approach, with the WindowSelectionChange event (see post 342898 from HansV). I’m not sure whether or not that event is available in Word 2000.

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