Fillable Ancestor's Chart

I'm still messing around with fillable forms. The latest one I've been messing with is an ancestor's chart.

You can set it up easily enough but filling it out is a bit weird because your cursor moves from field to field in row sequence. I'm not sure that I like that sequence.

The form works like the previous form you may have downloaded from this blog.

• Click Tab to move your cursor to the next field.
• Click Shift + Tab to move your cursor to a previous field. 

The Form
If you download this form, you'll download a fully functioning MS Word 2010 document that is protected, which prevents editing of the form layout but lets the person who is using the form complete the name, place, and date fields.

Here's what a person trying to use this form would do:

• Download the form; for example, the person might download an email attachment--the form--from an email you sent to the person.
• Open the form and add names, dates, and places to the form. Because the form is protected, the person completing the form won't be able to change anything else in the form other than the names, dates, and places.
• Save the form under a new name. 
• Return the form by attaching it to an email. 

The entire exchange of information is electronic.

If you, as the owner of the form, want to make changes to the form, you need to stop protection. Click here to see the post on this blog that talks about enabling and disabling protection.

The password to stop protection is form.

If you happen to mess up the form while editing, download another copy and try working with the form again.

Getting the Form
Click here to download a protected copy of the form. I've loaded the form on my SkyDrive to make it easy to deploy. However, that still means I have to make the right choices when creating the link. Email me (info@technology-tamers.com) if the link doesn't work well.

After the form opens in your browser, select File, Save As, and then click the Download button. Save the form to a location on your PC or laptop.

I'm liking my SkyDrive for deploying documents but I'm still in a bit of a learning curve. So please bear with me.

I hope you find this form useful. If you have a suggestion for a form, please send it along. I'll be happy to take a stab at creating it for you. You just need to give me a bit of time to play around with it.

Update...A Variation...

Hmmm...If I make the font smaller and put the fields in columns rather than a table, anyone filling in the form has their cursor move thru columns rather than rows.

Click here if you want to download a copy of this version of the ancestor chart.

Update to the Update...A Variation...

 

 

This version uses five columns, which should mean that you fill it out in order; that is, person, father, mother, and so forth. 

Click here if you want to download a copy of this version of the ancestor chart.

Fillable Family Group Sheet

Note: I've created an archive post for all forms-related posts. Here's the address: http://technology-tamers.blogspot.com/search/label/Fillable%20Forms%20Archive


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When I check the statistics on this blog, there seem to be lots of queries for these types of forms. As a convenience, I have set up a download from my SkyDrive account for the form I created for an earlier set of posts--a fillable family group sheet.

To download the form:

1. Click here to open a copy of a fillable family group sheet. The SkyDrive navigation page displays.
2. Select File, and then Save As. A big Download button displays on the right.
3. Select Download, and save the form to a location on your system. 
4. When you open the file, click the Enable Editing button at the top of the page. 

The Form
The form you downloaded to your system is a fully functioning MS Word 2010 document that is protected, which prevents editing. Most forms you find online are PDFs that you can't edit.

If you would like to edit the document, you need to stop enforcing protection. If you need help, click here to see the post that talks about starting and stopping protection.

The password to stop protection is form.

Suggested Use
Confirm that the form is protect from editing. Fill in the fields at the top of the form with your project name and contact info. Save the form and attach it to an email you are sending to a person who you want to have fill out the form. In your email, you might want to include instructions. For example:

The attached form is an electronic fillable form. Save a copy of the form to your system, triple click in the first field to start using the form, complete all of the fields you can, and email the completed form back to me. Thank you for your time and attention to this request.

Post a comment if you have a problem and I'll try to help.

P.S. If you happen to mess up the form while editing, download another copy and try working with the form again.

This sample shows the multi-page form that you can download.

Archive Fillable Forms

See Creating an Archive of Past Posts for an explanation of archive postings.

Read this set of posts to see how you can create a fillable form.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 1 Introducing Fillable Forms
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 2 Using Google Forms
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 3 Finding Form Controls
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 4 Finding Form Controls
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 5 Adding Text Form Field
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 6 Adding Check Box Field
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 7 Adding Drop-Down List Feild
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 8 Enabling Protection
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 9 Planning Form
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 10 Setting Up Auto Fields (Bookmarks)
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 11 Getting Copy of Updated Family Group Sheet
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 12 Checking Spelling
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 13 Creating Research Logs
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 14 Creating Research Logs
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 15 Creating Research Logs
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 16 Recreating Sample Forms
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 17 Using the Quick Access Toolbar
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 18 Creating Certificates as Fillable Forms
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 19 Creating Custom Tab on the Ribbon
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 20 Creating Custom Tab on the Ribbon
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 21 Creating Custom Tab on the Ribbon
Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 22 Selling Forms

eBook

1. Click here to go to the ePub on 4shared.
2. Click here to see post with download instructions. 

New Post: Fillable Family Group Sheet...you can download it from my SkyDrive. (obsolete)
New Post: Update to Family Group Sheet Fillable Form...you can enter dates in any format.
New Post: Family Group Sheet Fillable Form and Shading on Fields...turn off shading.
New Post: Click here to download a fillable family group sheet, which is an MS Word document.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 22

If you visit Family Tree Templates.net, you'll find an enterprising soul who has designed fillable forms but is calling them templates. You can get a free fillable PDF version or for $4 an enhanced version, which I assume means the Word or Excel version of the form...with the password.

To my way of thinking, a document doesn't become a template until I've saved it to my system as a template that I can copy to produce many different documents. It's a matter of semantics and I suppose from the casual user's point of view not much of a point of contention. 

Regardless of what you decide to call the document, if you're a longtime reader of this blog, you know how to create a fillable form and a template. My point is, if you're in business, you have lots of the tools you need to create your own forms and templates and perhaps sell them too just like this enterprising soul. I can't imagine that it's a huge revenue stream...but a revenue stream is a revenue stream.

Anyway, if you're interested in seeing a model for picking up bits of cash, you might want to visit this site and see what this genealogy entrepreneur is up to.

On another topic--Pattie, Cathy, and I are off to Palm Harbor today to do a presentation for an afternoon workshop. Pattie and I do two or three presentations a year just for the fun of it. Today we are doing "The Next Generation" and "Dipping Your Fingers in Paint." Cathy is part of the trio doing the Computer Interest Group for the Florida Genealogical Society (Tampa). Next weekend all three of us will be at USF for a daylong seminar. The presenter is D. Joshua Taylor.

I'm still trying to finish up the certificates for Florida State and I need to put together a template for the program for the banquet. All together, it's a very busy time for me. I'll get back to post as soon as I manage to clear the decks. But at this rate, it's going to be a bit longer than I had anticipated.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 21--Ribbon Custom Tab

The last bit of information you need about using buttons on the Forms tab is in reference to the Properties button you added to the Text Group. You can use the same Properties button with each type of fillable field that you added (text, check box, or combo selection). After you add a field, you can click the Properties button on the ribbon and the Properties dialog associated with the fillable field type will appear. You can do the same task by right-clicking in the field and selecting Properties from the pop-up menu. It's all a matter of how you like to work.

In formal documentation, the display of different Properties dialogs based on a fillable field type is referred to as being context sensitive. Lots of the functionality in Word 2007/2010 is context sensitive, which is one of the things that makes users crazy...tabs and buttons appear and disappear...if you don't know why it will make you nuts.

You can use a Word fillable form as is. However, if you plan to publish it to the web, you'll need to convert the form to a PDF. The next bit of info you'll need is what to do in Adobe Acrobat to get a fillable form as a PDF. So stay tuned...in case you have that friend who has access to a copy of Acrobat.

Also, Pattie uses a product named pdf995. I'll have to see if you can convert fillable forms with it also. If yes, this solution is free or at best $9.95 for a download copy. I'll keep you posted.

As always, if you have questions, please post them. I'll be happy to try and help.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 20--Ribbon Custom Tab

To add a new tab:

1. See the previous post to display the Customize Ribbon dialog. 
2. In the list on the right, click the New Tab button. Word adds a new tab to the list.
   
   

To rename New Tab and New Group:

1. Click the New Tab (Custom), and then click the Rename button. A rename dialog appears. 
2. Enter the tab name Forms Tab...or any name that makes sense to you..., and then click OK. 
3. Click the New Group (Custom), and then click the Rename button. A rename dialog appears.
4. Enter the group name Text, and then click OK. 

To add new groups:

1. With your cursor on the Text group, click the New Group button. Word add a New Group (Custom) entry to the list.
2. Rename the new group Check Box. 

To get the tab that I use, repeat these instructions to add these groups:

• Text (Custom)...Already done!
• Check Box (Custom)...Already done!
• Combo Box (Custom)
• Other Buttons (Custom)

The following groups are options...you can choose to add them or not.

• Align Bottom (Custom)
• Align Center (Custom)
• Align Top (Custom)

I add the align buttons so that I don't have to constantly click another tab to align text within the table I most likely will add when creating a form. The cell alignment is available on the right-click pop-up menu too.

So adding the buttons on the ribbon might be overkill for you. Or, you might want to have other buttons at hand on the ribbon. Group names appear below the buttons and cause the buttons to spread out over the width of the ribbon rather than bunching up in a few crowded groups.

To add buttons:

1. Click the group name Text. This group is the first group to which we will be adding buttons. 
2. From the Choose commands from drop-down list on the left, select Commands Not in the Ribbon. The list below updates with command that do not appear on ribbons.
   
   
3. In the Commands Not in the Ribbon list, look for Text Field (Form Control).
   
   
4. Click Text Field (Form Control) and hold your mouse key to grab it. 
5. Drag and drop Text Field (Form Control) over the group name Text. Word add the buttons to the group. 

Repeat these steps to add buttons to groups so that you have the following structure.

• Text (Custom)
  Text Field (Form Control)...Shows as Edit Box button on tab...
  Form Field Options...Shows as Properties button on tab...
• Check Box (Custom)
  Check Box (Form Control)
• Combo Box (Custom)
  Combo box (Form Control)
• Other Buttons (Custom)
  Reset Form Fields
  Restrict Editing...You'll find this button on the All Commands list...See below.
  Legacy Tools...You'll find this button on the All Commands list too...Shows the drop-down with all of the tools...Add it just in case.

You now know how to add a tab, add groups, and add buttons to a group. I'm going to let you experiment with any additional groups and buttons you might want to add to your custom forms tab.

Next post, we'll talk about using the buttons on your new custom tab. 

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 19--Ribbon Custom Tab

If you envision a create fillable forms festival, you might want to consider adding a custom tab to the ribbon with the buttons and tools you need to create the forms.

Here's what my custom tab looks like.

Click graphic to see larger version.

Press the Esc key to return to this post. 

To display Word Options and the Customize Ribbon:

1. Display Word Options.
2. --Word 2007: Click the MS Office button, and then click Word Options.
   --Word 2010: Click File, and then Options.
   The World Options dialog appears. 
3. Select Customize Ribbon and the options appear. 

If you have the Designer tab appearing in your ribbon, you've used this dialog before because the Designer tab gets turned on in the dialog. The dialog is divided into parts. 

• The lift side includes commands that can be added to tabs. As you can see from the drop-down list at the top, not all commands appear on ribbons. In addition, several other options are on the list. When you select different option, the list related commands below updates. Commands Not in the Ribbon is the option you will be using to get a list of commands. It's long!
• The Add and Remove buttons allow you to move commands from the list on the left to a tab on the right and vice versa.
• The right side includes the tabs that appear on the ribbon. Using the buttons below the tabs list, you can add a new tab, a new group, or rename a tab or group among other tasks. 

In the next post, we'll actually add the custom tab with the form and alignment buttons, which are the buttons I use. You'll also see how you can add other buttons you might find useful on your custom tab.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 18--Certificates

State conference time in Florida is busy if you are on the FSGS board. As the Florida Lines newsletter editor, I'm on the board. Because of my layout and design experience, I'm frequently drafted for tasks outside of my normal newsletter duties. Last year it was pulling together the conference syllabus. This year it has been designing a new pioneer certificate. Just as a f.y.i., I thought you might like to know how I approached this task, the functions I selected, and the design elements I considered.

Here are a few of the current contenders for the final certificate.

• Certificates are on landscaped paper (8-1/2x11) with 0.5 margins.  
• Variables in the forms have been set up as fillable fields: Descendant, Pioneer, (certificate) Number. 
• Electronic signatures will be added so that the President and Chair don't have to sign individual documents. 

Orange Blossoms

This certificate layout uses a table. 

Column 1 = green stripe...filled the cells with a green from the orange blossoms photo (used Paint to sample color and get color formula)

Column 2 = orange blossoms

Column 3 = green stripe

Column 4 = FSGS logo and text

Column 5 = empty column to create a vertical space and a line for the right text alignment

Column 6 = green stripe

Row 1 = green stripe

Row 2 = orange blossoms and text

Row 3 = green stripe 

Table borders are set to None. 

I used Paint to create the orange blossoms. It's one photograph repeated four times in a column. 

Pioneer Border

This certificate layout is mostly flowing text. The border and the outline of the state are a watermark created in Paint and saved as a .png to maintain the colors. To match the colors, I sampled from the FSGS logo. The text for the certificate simply flows over the watermark. The signature area at the bottom of the certificate is a table (three columns and one row), which makes placements of the elements easier. Table borders are set to None. 

Pioneer Stripe

This certificate layout is a table. Table borders are set to None.

Column 1 = blue stripe with Florida (used Paint to sample color and get color formulas)

Column 2 = empty column for white stripe

Column 3 = blue stripe with Pioneer

Column 4 = empty column for white stripe

Column 5 = blue stripe with Certificate

Column 6 = empty column for white stripe and left margin for left text to alignment 

Text flow uses merged cells. Row one has all of the cells from columns 7 to 9 merged.

Column 7 = certificate number and presentation date

Column 8 = empty column for spacing

Column 9 = signatures 

Row 1 = majority of certificate text

Row 2 = Certificate number and President's signature

Row 3 = Presentation date and Chair's signature

Design Element
Take a close look at each certificate. The design element that makes them work that you might not immediately see is that for the most part I picked one margin and I stuck with it. The first certificate has text that is flush right. In the second one the text is centered. The third certificate is (mostly) flush left. In Orange Blossom and Pioneer Stripe I used an empty column to create an accent line to serve as a margin.

If you are interested in layout and design, I can't speak highly enough of a book: The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams. Williams offers practical suggestions that almost anyone can follow to create more attractive layouts. Over the years, I've referred back to this book again and again to refresh my memory on what this lady has to say about designing.

As always, if you have questions, send me an email or post a comment.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 17--Quick Access Toolbar

With Word 2007 and 2010, access to Word functions moved from a menu setup to the ribbon. When Word developers moved the commands to the ribbon, they picked the commands that were the most used. In addition, they enabled a Quick Access (QA) toolbar that is located immediately above the ribbons. I've written about the QA toolbar before in the post Displaying Buttons You Need. If you'll refer to that post, you find instructions for adding and removing buttons to that toolbar.

If you are going to create forms on a regular basis, you may well want to add the form fields (text, check box, and drop-down) to the QA toolbar to make them easy to grab on the fly.

In the screenshot below, you see that I've added the Legacy Tools group--and--the check box, drop-down, and text form field buttons. I added the Legacy Tools group because it includes more than the three form field buttons. I might want to use the additional buttons in the Legacy Tools group but I don't need them all the time. I know I'm going to be using the three form field buttons constantly; therefore, I added them as separate buttons.

Your other option is to create your very own personal tab with the buttons you want on it. That's what we'll talk about in the next post. 

...Oops...Forgot one button you'll need...Restrict Editing...

1. Locate the button on the Developer ribbon.
2. Right-click the button. A pop-up appears. 
3. Select Add to Quick Access Toolbar. The button appears on the QA toolbar. 

Adding the Restrict Editing button allows you to display the Restrict Formatting and Editing pane on the fly. The button is a toggle with an on/off position. 

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 16

While doing research for the FSGS newsletter, I ran across an item that I thought might interest readers of this blog. Genealogy In Time has an online individual fact sheet that was created in 2008. Click here to see the form.

What I find interesting about the form is that I've written about every skill you would need to reproduce this form. Actually, I've written about additional skills that you could use to make the form fillable.

The upshot of all of this is that the time you spend reading a blog like this one comes into play when you find an example of something you'd like to produce for yourself. You can examine the sample, reverse engineer it, and in some cases, make it better.

So go check out the form and see if you feel confident enough in your skills to reproduce...or reproduce and improve it.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 15 Research Logs

Click the graphic to see larger version, and then

press the Esc key to return to this post.

While watching the Republican National Convention, I've been tinkering with what I'd want in a research log. You can see the results above. My first decision revolved around information that I would want in a table or out of a table.

Information Out of the Table
I chose to place what I identified as unique information in running text.

• Name of Person: A Text form field with a limit of 40 characters for the name of the person for whom I'm chasing information.
• Information: A Drop-down form field with the following selections: Birth, Marriage, Death, Burial, Census. This list includes the type of information that I might be searching for. You might have other types of information to add to your list. 
• Source Citation: A Text form field with no character limit. After I've located the document, photograph, or whatever, I can write a citation for the item that I will use to prove my point. When I get ready to use the citation in an article or book, I can select it and copy and paste it into that document. To paste the citation as running text, I'm going to use Paste Special to paste without form field formatting. If you don't remember how to do that task, see Grabbing Text from the Net. This post talks about getting rid of HTML coding. What I don't mention in the post is that Paste Special will remove any hidden coding, including form field formatting.

Information In the Table
I chose to place what I identified as repeating information in a table.

• Date: A Text form field formatted as a date. This date is when I went looking for information. In this example, I added a date to show the format. 
• Repository Type: A Drop-down form field with the following selections: Archive, Library, Online, Oral History. I could have added Court House, Ancestry.com, Genealogy Society. 
• Repository Name: A Text form field with a limit of 40 characters. 
• Results: A Drop-down form field with the following selections: Found, Not Found, Bible Entry, Certificate, Newspaper Announcement, Obituary, Other, Pension (Military), Will. 
• Abstract: A Text form field with no character limit. Abstracts are short descriptions of the contents of a document. For a long article, an abstract can provide a reminder of why a document is important.
• Analysis: A Text form field with no character limit. This space is where I would evaluate the reliability of the information I've found. 

Table Formatting 
In the graphic above the table doesn't span the entire page. I've set the table up to expand based on the information entered in the table--the auto fit option. If you don't remember how to use this option, see Table It!...Part 2 for more information.

Doing It All Again
In the graphic above you'll also notice that the entire form (except for the words Research Log) repeats. I've assumed that I'm going to chase more than one piece of information (Birth, Marriage, Death, Burial, Census) for the same person. I can use the same research log to chase more than one piece of information. I just need to copy and paste the form block and complete it for each type information. I would have one file with all of my notes about information I'm chasing for the one person.

In addition, I've left the Name of Person field in place so that when a block moves to a new page, the name goes with it. I could also add a footer or header with page numbering. You include these types of elements for a log you plan to print.

In actual use, I can see myself enabling and disabling protection as I need to copy and paste new rows or entire form blocks as I chase new pieces of information.

Getting a Copy of the Research Log
If you like the looks of the log I've created and you want a copy, please email me and I'll send it to you. Please just remember to tell me what version of Word you are using. Write to me at info@technology-tamers.com.

Democratic National Convention
I'm sure to be parked in front of the TV watching this one too. Perhaps it will inspire me to create another form. We'll see what I can come up with.

As always, please post comments and questions.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 14 Research Logs

Sorry for disappearing. I've been working on a huge project at work and the whole thing came to a crescendo last week. I made the date to produce my Help file and printed Workbook with three days to spare. The work is actually due tomorrow. This particular project was more stress filled than most. For my part it came complete with a full blown anxiety attack...something I have not had happen to me in 30 plus years. The aftermath of this project was that I spent most of Thursday and Friday in a post-project fog and Saturday and today sleeping. I'm still not 100% but I do feel a need to post and move the research log form along.

In my last post, I said that I'd want my form to be landscaped. To set orientation, you need to be on the Margins tab of the Page Setup dialog.

To set up the form:

1. Open Word. The default Normal template displays automatically. Remember that this template is the lowest level template with just a few styles...the starting point for lots of documents.
2. Select File, Save As, and name the document Research Log.
3. Display the Page Setup dialog.
   --Word 2003: Select File, and then Page Setup.
   --Word 2007/2010: Select the Page Layout tab and locate the Page Setup group. Click the small arrow in the lower right of the group (group launch button).
   The dialog appears with the Margins tab displaying by default.
4. In the Margins group, enter .5 for the top, bottom, left, and right margins. Since this document is a form, you are going to want to use as much of the surface area of the page as possible.
5. In the Orientation group, select Landscaped.
6. Click OK, and then save your document.

 

Next post, we add a table that includes a column (field) for each piece of information that we want to collect.

 

b.t.w. I live in the Tampa-Bay area. We're grateful to have dodged Isaac. My 81 year old mother lives in New Orleans and she has an evacuation plan in place. 

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 13 Research Logs

As a general rule of thumb, I don't use research logs. I use a user-defined column with coding along with notes made in my genealogy software. However, I have perused the research logs of friends...sometimes offering sympathy because their efforts have yielded so few results...other times offering unsolicited advice!

The web is littered with lots of examples of logs. The logs I find are usually portrait oriented. My first question is why portrait? I would landscape it without a second thought because I would want more space for each entry. If I really consider it, I'd make it an Excel spreadsheet but we won't go there in this post.

In looking at the logs that other people have created, I can see that the next planning item to tackle is to decide on the information I want to track in a log. Am I going to use a document numbering system? Will I use the log as my citation source? Will I want to include an evaluation of what I've found? Each of these questions and lots more need to be answered before I can put fingers to keys and begin to design a form.

If I think seriously about the information I'd want to collect, here are the types of column I'd include:

• Document Number: Will I use it?
• Date: When did I look for it?
• Repository: Where did I look for it? Is it an online link?
• Results: Did I find it or not?
• Abstract: Can I describe it in a few words?
• Analysis: How reliable do I think it is? What did I deduce from it?
• Source: What fields do I need to write a proper citation? Can I use my genealogy software to design these fields?

If you've been reading these post regularly, bells and whistles should be going off as you relate the information you're trying to collect in the log with the three types of fields you can add to a form. For example, you might consider splitting Repository and adding a type drop-down list that includes entries like Library, Archive, Online, Court House, and so forth. You select the type in the first field and enter the name of the repository in the second field...or is a type important to know?

I'll stop for the moment and let you ponder what you are going to want to put in your form. I'm sure you can already see that this is going to be another series of posts as I figure out what I want to include in my form.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 12 Spell Checking

When you add an item like a Notes page, you do so with a text field that is unlimited. The field allows the user of your form to simply begin to type and type and type. They are able to transcribe obits, tell you family tales, and add details that flesh out the boring but valuable facts they've provided for you in other form fields. What the user of your form can't do is spell check.

An unfortunate by product of enabling protection is that it disables the spell checker along with several other items. The formal way around this is to add a macro. I'm going to give you the address of an MVP site that provides instructions for adding a macro (a set of instructions that Word completes automatically) that enables spell checking in a protected form: http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/SpellcheckProtectDoc.htm.

MVP (Most Valued Professional Microsoft) is a group of Word users who are worse than I am about digging up details. When I'm really stuck, I check MVP to see if they have a suggestion to solve my problem. They frequently do. However, in this case, I think that the solution is worse than the problem.

Here's what I do. In the email to which I attach the form I include instructions. I explain that the creation of the form disables the spell checker and I ask the person filling the form to write their notes in a separate document, spell check it there, and then copy the notes and paste them in the Notes page form field.

This method isn't as elegant or seamless as enabling the spell checker; however, it has a few advantages. First, I don't have to deal with a macro (VBA programming!).  They can be quirky and do odd things no matter how careful you are when you construct them. Second, they can cause messages to appear that will confuse and frighten many an end-user of your form. Third, macros are a quick way to spread viruses.  When I get a document from someone I don't know and Word asks me if I want to enable macros, I say, "Hell no!"

So there you have my opinion and the workaround I use. We'll continue to look at forms and the many things you might want to consider using them for or not and why not.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 11--Updated Form

I updated the form after hearing from Marilyn. Seems my tired old eyes messed up a field. When I started looking at the form, I realized I had a few problems that Marilyn was kind enough not to point out. I've fixed them. In addition I added instructions at the top of the form...always a good idea. Can you guess how to set up the Notes page? If no, email me and I'll send you a copy of the form so you can experiment with it. Email me at info@technology-tamers.com if you want a copy.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 10

When you find a form you want to reproduce, you need to study it carefully to see how it was put together. Reverse engineering a document is standard practice in producing documents. It's frequently a good learning method. In the case of the family group form I've been talking about, I'm going to walk you through the reverse engineering.

Page Setup
If you displayed the family group form and then displayed the Page Setup dialog, it would look like this sample.

I've sent the margins very close to the edge of the paper: Top 0.25" and Bottom, Left, and Right 0.5" each. When you create a form, you want to use as much of the page area as possible. 

This layout assumes that I'm going to put my contact info in the body of the document. If I were going to put contact info in a header (or footer), the top margin (or bottom) would need to be large enough to accommodate a logo and text. In addition, I would make changes on the Layout tab to handle the header or footer. If you need to know more about these tabs, see this post: Setting up a Book Template Part 1. 

Setting Up Tables

In looking at the sample, the tables (12 of them) are set up as separate tables. The husband table has five columns and seven rows, while the wife table has five columns and six rows. Each child table has five columns and eight rows. Most of the tables are separated by one empty line using a style called spacer (3 point font with 1 point before). You need to create this style. See the Styles Posts for more information. 

If you look at the sample form, you can see where table cells were merged and formatted in an effort to create some interest and make the form attractive. 

If you need help setting up tables, see the table series of posts: Table Posts. 

When you add the 12 tables to your document, I suggest that you create the husband, wife, and child 1 tables first. Add the fields in each of the three tables (see the previous posts for details on adding fields). Double-click each field and edit the properties based on the the type of field. Copy and paste the Child 1 table nine times and update child number in the first column of each table. 

When completing the Child tables, leave the last name blank. We're going to add an automatic cross-reference that will allow your form user to type the husband's last name and then add that last name to each child table in the Last Name field. 

Setting Up the Automatic Surname Fields

In the Husband table, in the Last Name field, when you edit this form field, it should have some special settings. Double-click the form field to display the Text Form Field Options dialog.

To complete properties: 

1. Complete the Type form field group as shown above. 
2. In the Field setting group, edit the Bookmark to give it a logical name. For example, enter FamilyName or Surname or Last_Name. Notice that the text is an unbroken string. Remember that bookmarks can't have spaces. 
3. Confirm that Fill-in enabled is selected. 
4. Click the check box beside Calculate on exit. Selecting this last check box will cause the form to update cross-references (which you will be adding next) when the user of the form presses Tab to move to the next field in the form. 
5. Click the OK button and save your form. 

To add cross-references: 

1. Click in the Last Name field of the Child 1 table. 
2. Insert a cross-reference to the bookmark you set up in the properties dialog.
   --In Word 2007/2010, click the Reference tab, and select Cross-reference in the Captions group.
   --In Word 2003, select, Insert, Reference, and then Cross-reference.
   The Cross-reference dialog appears. 
3. In Reference type, Bookmark should be selected.
4. In Insert reference to, select Bookmark text.
5. In For which bookmark, select the bookmark you set up. 
6. Click Insert. 
7. Repeat these steps in the Last Name field for each Child table. 

Testing Your Form

1. Save your form. 
2. Enforce protection.
3. Save your form as a template.
4. Close everything. 
5. Relaunch Word.
6. Open the template (form) you saved and fill in the form. (You're playing the part of end user of your form.)
7. Use the Tab key to move from field to field. 
8. Notice that when you complete the husband's last name, the name is added as each child's last name. 
9. Congratulations on completing your first form! Be sure to save it. 

Future Posts
I'll start looking at other forms and tell you how I would put them together.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 9

Click the graphic to see a larger version.

Click Esc to return to this post.

When you think about creating a form you have lots of planning to do. It's easiest if you start with a paper version of the form. The family group sheet shown above is a common type of form for a genealogist. You can find lots of examples of similar forms.

If you can't find a sample form to see what somebody else has done, you should take a piece of paper and do a rough sketch of what you think you want. After you have a paper version, you can make a list of the types of information that you want to collect and relate the info type to a fillable form field type. In the case of the family group sheet, I want to collect names, genders, dates, and places.

• Name is going to be a text form field. I can add formatting that causes the system to capitalize the first letter of any name enter automatically. I'm also going to want to have the field length be about 40 characters for the first and middle name and 40 characters for the last name. 
• Gender is going to be a check box form field with three selections: male, female, unknown. I could have users select gender from a drop-down list; however, for space considerations, I might want to have all options visible on one line. 
• Date is going to be a text form field with date formatting applied. Date formatting means that the user of the form will need to enter a real date. In the case of my form, they need to enter d MMM yyyy as in 1 January 2012. 
• Place is going to be a text form field with conditions that are similar to what I would apply for a name.

Since this is a family group sheet, the children are all going to have their father's last name. When I add the name text form field for the husband's last name, I can set it up so that it is used as a bookmarked cross reference and complete the last name for each of the children automatically.

I'm also going to want to add contact information and page numbering. I can put that at the top of the form or the bottom...inside or outside of a header or footer. I've used all of these configurations depending on the form and what I was trying to achieve. If you're a professional, you might want to create electronic letterhead that you can use for forms as well as other documents.

In subsequent posts, we're going to look at the selections I made to create the sample family group sheet, including layout, tables, and forms. In addition, I'll tell you how to set up the naming bookmarked cross reference.

I found that constructing the family group sheet sample was tedious. However, once I had it perfected, I saved it as a template and used it again and again. So while the initial construction is painful, the time and trouble it saves me on the back end is considerable.

So start thinking about the types of information you want to collect and how that information relates to fillable form fields and how you might want to present that information to a user in a form...and remember that user might be you!

P.S. If you'd like a copy of the family group sheet form, please email me at info@technology-tamers.com. If you have the Word version, you can display the properties, etc. to reverse engineer the form.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 8 Enabling Protection

We've been through the first three buttons. We can run through the last three buttons quickly, and then we'll enable protection to use the form.

Insert Frame: You can use it to create a frame for a graphic. It's just as easy to use a table with or without borders. 

Form Field Shading: This button is a toggle that turns the gray background of a form field on and off. I generally leave the shading on because the fields are easier to see. 

Reset Form Fields: This button removes any selections you've made--for example, you checked in a check box and added an X while playing around. 

Enforcing Protection

When you enforce protection, you protect the information that is already on the form. The only places where a user of your form can make changes are in the fields you've added to the form. 

1. Display the Restrict Formatting and Editing pane.
   --Word 2007/2010--Click the Restrict Editing button on the Developer tab.
   --Word 2003--Click View, Toolbar, and Forms to display the floating toolbar. Click the pad lock icon (last icon on the right). 
2. Bypass 1.Formatting restrictions.
3. In 2 Editing Restrictions, click the Allow only this type of editing in document option to add a check mark. The drop-down below updates. 
4. In 2 Editing Restrictions, select Filling in forms from the drop-down list. 
5. In 3 Start enforcement, click the Yes, Start Enforcing Protection button. The Start Enforcing Protection dialog appears. Entering a password is optional. If you're going to enter one, make sure it's one you'll remember. I always use my first name with all lower case letters (pam). 
6. Enter a password (or not).
7. Click OK. 

If the form you develop is one that you'll use often, save the form as a template. See Setting Up a Book Template Part 12 for instructions on saving a document as a template. The instructions include steps for finding the form when you're ready to use it again. 

Now that you know what all the parts are, where they are, and how to use them, we can start looking at designing forms.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 7 Drop-Down Lists

You use a drop-down list form field to add a list of acceptable responses. For example, you might add a gender list (Male, Female, Unknown). Your user clicks to display a drop-down list and picks one option from the list of available responses. 

Insert Drop-Down List Form Field 

1. On a new line, type a question. For example, type: What is your gender? 
2. Insert a form field.
   --Click the Developer tab.
   --In the Controls group, click the Legacy Tools button.
   --Click the Drop-Down List Form Field button. A small gray box appears in your document. 
3. Save your document. 

Adjust Properties

1. Right-click in the small gray box and a pop-up menu appears. 
2. Select Properties. The Drop-Down Form Fields Option dialog appears. 
3. In the Drop-down item field, type the first item on your list (Male), and then click the Add button. Word adds your entry to the Items in drop-down list field. The Add button is enabled only when you type text in  the Drop-down item field. 
4. Repeat step 3 to add additional items (Female, Unknown). 
5. Repeat step 3 to add instructions for the gray box (Select One). 
6. Use the up and down arrows to the right of  the Items in drop-down list field to rearrange items. For example, move Select One to the top of the list so that it displays in the gray box as an instruction for the person who is filling your form. 
7. Use the Remove button to remove a selected item from the list in the Items in drop-down list field. Depending on what you've done, you might end up with a blank entry that you might want to remove. 
8. Skip Run macro on fields. Macros are off topic for these posts.
9. Skip Field settings fields. We'll talk about bookmarks later.
10. Select OK. 

Here's what the field will look like when a user is filling out your form.

Note: You can improve the attractiveness of the response by adding a space before and a space after when you are adding entries to the list. Word will read the spaces as characters and include them so that entries aren't bumping up against the outline of the gray box (like mine is in the sample above!). 

Next Post
We'll talk about is enabling protection, which makes the fields work.

Forming Up Your Genealogy--Part 6 Check Boxes

When you add check boxes, you are usually asking the person who is filling out your form to select one or more items from a list. In the example above, the user is being asked to click beside places in which they research.

Insert Check Box Form Fields

1. Add the text instructions: Click beside places in which you are researching.
2. Press Enter to create a new line.
3. Add the list from which you want the person who is filling out your form to select.
   (Add a few place names.)
   
4. Click before each item and insert the check box.
   --Click the Developer tab.
   --In the Controls group, click the Legacy Tools button.
   --Click the Check Box Form Field button. A small gray check box appears in your document.
   
5. Save your document.

Adjust Properties
Complete these instructions for each check box you add.

1. Right-click in the check box and a pop-up menu appears.
2. Select Properties. The Check Box Form Field Options dialog appears.
3. In Check box size, accept the default of Auto. For the most part, I haven't had a reason to select Exactly and start resizing the check box. However, you can see in the graphic that the size is based on points (each point = 1/72 of an inch). If you decide to use this option, it's easy enough to experiment.
4. In Default value, accept the default of Not checked. Again, I've never had a reason to select the checked option. The check box is added with an X in it. I'd have to test it, but I'm assuming that when the person filling out your form click the box, Word removes the X. The assumption with this type of list is that everything in the list applies except the items from which you remove the X.
5. Skip Run macro on fields. A macro is off topic for these posts.
6. Skip Field settings fields. We'll talk about bookmarks later.
7. Click OK.

We have one more type of form field to add. We'll do that in the next post. Then we'll talk about enforcing protection, which is what makes the form work.