How can I detect a content control without the user selecting the whole thing?

Question

Background

I've inserted a bunch of content controls into my word document. Each content control is a bit of text e.g. "Hello world".

What I'm trying to do

When a user puts their cursor within the content control I want to access the details of the content control within my add-in.

What I've tried

I run this at startup.

Office.context.document.addHandlerAsync(Office.EventType.DocumentSelectionChanged, () => {
    Word.run( async (context) => {
        const range = context.document.getSelection();
        console.log({range});
        const contentControls = range.contentControls;
        contentControls.load("items");
        await context.sync();
        console.log('contentControls.items', contentControls.items)
    })
})

Problem

If a user pops their cursor in the content control no "items" are reported. However if a user highlights the whole content control the "items" are correctly reported.

Question

Is there a way to detect if a user is within a content control without them having to select the whole thing?

Rick Kirkham · Accepted Answer · 2021-05-19 19:15:30Z

0

Try using Range.parentContentControl (or parentContentControlOrNullObject) to get a reference to the containing content control.

For example,

  const parentContentControl = range.parentContentControlOrNullObject;
  await context.sync();
  if (parentContentControl.isNullObject) {
      console.log("The cursor is not in a content control")
  }
  else {
      console.log('parentContentControl', parentContentControl);
  }

edited May 19, 2021 at 19:15

answered May 18, 2021 at 18:37

Rick Kirkham

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1 Comment

AnotherTeamMember Over a year ago

Thanks Rick. I did try that, but couldn't make it work. I'll try again and add the code to my question.

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