Knowledge Base

Works 3.0: Cut Button Can Delete Field Even If Protect Form Enabled

Article ID: 124364

Article Last Modified on 9/26/2003

Microsoft Works 3.0 Standard Edition
Microsoft Works 3.0a
Microsoft Works 3.0b

This article was previously published under Q124364

SYMPTOMS

With the Protect Form option enabled in the database Form view, you may still be able to use the Cut, Copy and Paste buttons in the List view to cut or copy an entire field, even though these commands will at that point be unavailable (dimmed) from the Edit menu. This will only happen if you have selected the entire field, for example by clicking the field name. It does not occur if an individual record entry is selected.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Works version 3.0 for Windows. This problem does not occur in Works 4.0 and later.

MORE INFORMATION

In Works 4.0, 4.5, or 4.5a, if an individual field is protected, you will not be able to cut it from List view using the toolbar, the menu, or the right-mouse-click menu. If the field is not protected, you will be able to delete the field using any of the above methods, but Works will prompt "Permanently delete this information?" before deleting it.

In Works 3.0, enabling the Protect Form option in the database Form view affects several other commands in the database List view as well. For example, with Protect Form turned on in Form view, the Field Name, Page Break, and Delete Page Break commands will be dimmed in List view.

Steps to Reproduce Problem

Create a new Database file in Works 3.0.
Create two fields.
Type some data (anything) in each field.
From the Format menu, choose Protection.
In the Protection dialog box, select Protect Form and choose OK.
From the View menu, choose List (or click the List view button).
Click one of the field names so that the entire field (column) is selected (highlighted).

IMPORTANT: Before completing the next step, verify that the form is protected by opening the Edit menu. Cut, Copy, and Paste should be dimmed.
Click the Cut button. (Note that the field is gone.)

IMPORTANT: If you do not choose Undo from the Edit menu or do not use the Paste button to put the field back in, and then save the file, the field and its data will be permanently deleted from your file.

For more information about form protection, query on the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

120399 Works 3.0: Database Fields Inserted/Deleted with Protect Form Enabled

Additional query words: w_works gray grayed grey greyed disabled out can't select choose cannot

Keywords: kbprb KB124364