Creating partly locked tables

28 Sep 2010 22:01:09

Mark Ford

Can anyone help me solve a problem?

I want to make a form of 2 columns and about 8 lines.

I wish to 'lock' text into the first column so that it can't be edited.

I would like the text in the second column to be editable.

I would then send this form to PC users.

After others have edited the text in the second column I would like to be able to unlock all the text and copy and paste it elsewhere.

I can see how to lock text into the whole of a TextEdit document - but not just one column.

Am I asking too much?

Re: Creating partly locked tables

1 Oct 2010 10:45:26

John Surtees

Well, as the solutions to this problem seem to be a little thin on the ground, here something that might work.

Create a document with just the first column. Then create a graphic of it (a pdf might be the best option). Create a second document and place the graphic into it. Then create a text box along side for the second column, making sure it aligns with the text in the graphic.

When the document is returned, just copy and paste the second column text into a second text box in your original document.

This solution will probably only work if you all have the same program'. But it might be food for thought.

Re: Creating partly locked tables

1 Oct 2010 18:05:25

Mark Ford

Thank you John - sounds interesting - I will see what happens.

Re: Creating partly locked tables

2 Oct 2010 13:44:07

Mick Burrell

This would be possible in Excel by password protecting the cells you don't want altered so may be in Numbers if that's what you use.

Re: Creating partly locked tables

2 Oct 2010 17:00:49

Mark Ford

Thanks Mick I will give it a try.