Help!! Attempting to Protect Document in Word using VB, but only after pre-requisite

[zeedart]

Hi all,

Thanks heaps for reading! They need an icon of a little face ripping its hair out for this one!!

Okay - here goes.

I'm attempting to write (very amateury type beginner speaking here...) some code in Visual Basic to protect a word template (so that my form will work!). My problem is that before the protection can come into effect, there are some fields that load automatically (via an interface with an external system) because if the template is protected straight away then these fields will not import.

Help? Ideally, what I want is for the template to open, the fields to import, then the document to lock so that form fields work correctly - all without manual intervention....

Any idea's welcome!!

Oh... and since I'm such an amateur example code would be a plus!!

Thanks so much for your help! (I don't know... I just like the duck!!)

[westconn1]

you could have the template protected, then on document open run a macro to unprotect, update the field and set protection again

ActiveDocument.Protect Password:="", NoReset:=False, Type:= _
        wdAllowOnlyFormFields

to protect document for forms

ActiveDocument.Unprotect Password:=""

pete

[zeedart]

Thanks for your input Pete - here's the script I have written at the moment:

Sub ProtectDoc()
If ActiveDocument.ProtectionType = wdNoProtection Then
ActiveDocument.Protect _
Type:=wdAllowOnlyFormFields, NoReset:=True
End If
End Sub

My problem is that I want this to activate about 8 seconds after the person opens the document. (The document is unprotected upon opening)... how do I do this (with no manual intervention)?

[westconn1]

put your code into the "this document" open sub

if need be put a loop to detect when whatever you are waiting for has finished, then protect

pete