How to create a user fillable form in WRITER

[btflblvd98]

I review 100's of reports created by others all day long and have to prepare a summary of my review. The summary I write is structurally the same for every report I review, but I include specifics about the report in each summary that pertains to the report I'm reviewing (eg. title, author, date created, date reviewed, characteristics about the report topic, and some variable length comments that include the strengths & weaknesses found in the report). By dumb luck I stumbled across "Plain Text Content" fields using the Form Control tools in MS WORD 2010 (in their developer tab). What I was able to create in WORD has worked very well for me because I can click into the 1st field of my summary, and change key words or characteristics that pertain to the report I'm currently reviewing, then TAB to the next field (preferably with that fields contents highlighted ready to be typed over) and continue updating the summary with data specifically relevant to the report I'm reviewing. (It is especially helpful to TAB from field to field through my summary without having to move the curser or use my mouse.)

I am kind of picky about getting the solution in WRITER to perform in the same way that it does in WORD because navigating through the written summary by the TAB key is where I gain the most benefit (I could revert back to mousing through the summary and highlighting & retyping the information in my summary, but that is monotonous and cumbersome when your preparing 100's of these summaries a day. The time savings & efficiency comes from using the fields, and tabbing through them.)

I've tried to create text fields, text boxes, forms, and templates and have not been able to get it to work in the same manner using WRITER. I wonder if there is a key term, or function, I should be using/learning to access the same functionality in WRITER. I would appreciate any help that can be offered.


BTW- When I'm finished with my summary, I copy the entire text and paste it into a textbox webform my employer uses so I'm not saving the output summary document anywhere. I do need to be able to select the whole summary text once completed in WRITE, copy it, then paste it into the webform textbox. (As I've tinkered with posible solutions, one thing I tried wouldn't let me copy the whole summary text because it was in a 'protected' mode for the text fields to work...)

[MrProgrammer]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

By dumb luck I stumbled across "Plain Text Content" fields

Perhaps you can use frames (Insert > Frame) in Writer.
Or try Insert > Field > Other > Functions > Placeholder > Text.

… then TAB to the next field …

In Writer, Shift+F4 selects the next frame, and pressing Enter allows you to edit its text.
If you use placeholders, there is no supplied shortcut to select the next one, but you can create a shortcut with Tools > Customize > Keyboard. The To Next Placeholder operation is found in Category > Navigate.

… preferably with that fields contents highlighted ready to be typed over …

Press ⌘A on a Mac, Ctrl+A on other platforms to highlight all the text in the frame.
If you use placeholders, they are automatically highlighted when you select them.

Hint: If using frames, use Tools > Macros > Record to record a macro that selects the next frame AND highlights all of its text. Use Tools > Customize > Keyboard to map a key, say F4, to this macro. Read about those ideas in Help > Index or in User Guides (PDF) or searching for topics about them in the Writer Forum.

When I'm finished with my summary, I copy the entire text and paste it into a textbox …

That seemed to work for me using frames or placeholders, though you'd have to try this with your specific web browser and your specific website.

I am kind of picky about getting the solution in WRITER to perform in the same way that it does in WORD …

Writer and Word are two different products with a lot of common features. Writer is not a clone of Word. If you are willing to change your procedures, you might be able to use Writer. Otherwise, you must stick to Word forever.

If this answered your question please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the title. You can select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[JohnV]

I include specifics about the report in each summary that pertains to the report I'm reviewing (eg. title, author, date created, date reviewed, characteristics about the report topic, and some variable length comments that include the strengths & weaknesses found in the report).

In Writer you can use Input fields that will query you for their content when you create a new report from a template. Here's how to create one.
Go to the place in the document where you want 'title' and do Ctrl+F2 > Variable tab. Select User Field, name it 'title' and click the green check mark then select Input field, select the User field you want in the middle column (currently only 'title') and type a hint like, "Enter the title." in the Reference box then click Insert and click OK.

Now do another one for a variable like 'author'. When finished save the document as a template (in the File Type drop down menu select .ott). Now create a new report from this template (do not use Recently opened - instead double click the template file).