Re: Word 7 Query: Auto update of fields in Headers?

[Todd Snarr <todd_snarr -at- AUTOSOFT -dot- COM>]

Liam Wickham said:

>In some Word 7 docs I'm using a bookmark to update a text field in the
>headers. However, there seems to be no automatic update of
>Headers/Footers. The boomark refers to information stored in another
>local file. The info updates manually, but not automatically (using
>Select All-Update or closing and then re-opening the doc). How do I make
>them update automatically?

I'm not sure what will happen if your bookmark is stored in another local file...I've never tried this. I do know that you can't use your typical "F9" to update a bookmark if that bookmark is in a header or footer (F9 works fine if the bookmark is in the body of your document). According to the Microsoft Knowledge Base (Article #Q89953), the following actions will update a bookmark (Ask field) in a header/footer:

Opening a document (like you said)
Opening a document while in page layout view
Repaginating
Printing the document

I have a template that prompts the user for a publication number. The bookmark for this publication number is then placed in the footer. Unfortunately, the default response for the bookmark ("publication number") remains in the footer (instead of the actual number) until one of the above actions occurs (a good example of "bad design"). This bugged me at first, but now I'm used to it updating when I print so I don't bother.

Todd Snarr
Auto-Soft Corporation
Salt Lake City, UT
todd_snarr -at- autosoft -dot- com