How to format an ActiveX controls (checkbox, text box, options box, drop-down list, etc.)

 

Each ActiveX control element has a Properties sheet associated with it. This enables you to format the appearance, behavior, font, data, etc. of the ActiveX control elements.

How to open the Properties sheet

The properties sheet of an ActiveX control element can only be opened in Design Mode. Let us understand this with an example. Now, try to insert the Text Box ActiveX control into your document.

To insert a text box

On the Ribbon menu, under the tab Developer, within the group Controls, click the Legacy Tools icon. A drop-down list appears.

To switch to Design Mode

Select Text Box (ActiveX Control) element from the list. A text box is inserted at the cursor position. By default, the text box is in Design Mode. You can switch it on and off by clicking the Design Mode icon on the Ribbon.

In Design Mode, you can view the Properties icon (just beneath it) enabled. Click this icon to view the Properties sheet.

(Alternatively, in Design Mode, you can right-click the Text box and select option Properties.)

Properties Sheet

Once the Properties sheet is opened, you can see a list of properties of the Text box element under the tab Alphabetic. The same properties are also available under the tab Categorized, but grouped under various headings.

To change a property, click the adjacent cell. Similarly, you can modify all other properties listed.

In Design Mode, you can use the resize handles of the text box to adjust its size.

You can move the text box to the right or left in a line by placing the mouse cursor just in front of the text box and then pressing the TAB and “TAB+SHIFT” keys respectively.

 

About wordknowhowhttp://wordknowhow.comThis blog site was started to help people with Microsoft Word. I use Word a lot at work, and I understand that some features are difficult to use. There were no simplified instructions online to help me use these features. It is for this reason that this site exists; to make your life easier with Word. Feel free to post your comments, queries, suggestions, etc. I will do my best to help you!

4 thoughts on “How to format an ActiveX controls (checkbox, text box, options box, drop-down list, etc.)

  1. Good morning, I am doing a form on word with Control X text box. I try to auto copy the contain of a text box so when a user enter a number in the first text box, I would like the contain of the text box to be automatic repeat in other text box. Is it possible ?

  2. Thanks the how to insert a drop-down list helped. How do I insert a list into the form that allows the user to select more than one option from the list?
    should this be done as a multiple-Selection list and how do I insert one?

    • Hi Michael, Word by default does not provide a multi-select list box, but with VBA code this is achievable. Please check this space after a couple of days to know how to do this.

      Regards,
      Anupam

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