# Fields: auto jump to next field



## Charles Roller (Jan 16, 2010)

I have a MAC with OS 10.3.9
MS Office 2004, MS Word
I have 2 fields of a designated length.

When I fill up the present alpha field I'm typing into, I want the cursor to automatically jump to the next field without manually hitting the tab key.

Thanks!


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## djaburg (May 15, 2008)

What kind of "fields" do you have in a word document? Do you mean text boxes? If you do, you need to click inside the first box and (on the pc anyway) right click on the edge of the box and select CREATE TEXT BOX LINK and then click in to the box you want the text to flow in to. It's fairly simple...on a pc. On a MAC, I'm not sure of the proper clicks, but my assumption is if you go to help and use the string "text box link" that should get you where you need to be.


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## Charles Roller (Jan 16, 2010)

Thanks but in this instance it's a field in MS Word. You modify it in the "Text Form Field Options" panel. Right mouse button didn't give a text link option.

Thanks for trying.


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi Charles Roller,

Without pressing the TAB key, how do you propose that Word should be able to detect that you've finished editing the field?


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## Charles Roller (Jan 16, 2010)

In the field options box you can choose a specific macro when you enter the field or when you exit the field.

You can also define the field's length.

It's my understanding that there are functions available in visual basic.
I believe the function I need is NextField (???)

I've created a macro I call "AutoTab" but my challenge is following the correct sysntax in VB.

Thanks for any ideas.


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi Charles,

Yes, you can run a macro as an on-entry or on-exit event, but you have to enter or exit the field (eg via tabbing) before those macros will be triggered.

The field length limitation acts to limit the number of characters, and that's all. It does no act to trigger an exit event and AFAIK can't be made to do so.

There is no 'NextField' function to do what you want.

As for your 'AutoTab' macro, it can only work within the above limitations.


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