Directory mail merge

[Simon J]

Hi,

I'm trying to prepare a mailmerge that is a letter with part of the
letter listing several rows of data to the recipient. The recipient
information is in the data file 5 times as there are then 5 pieces of
data that need listing in part of the letter before the letter is then
finished. There is some other information in the data file that needs
to go in the letter but that is supplied 5 times and is identical.

Hope that made sense? Can anyone help as i'm getting 5 letters out
each with one piece of the unique data as aposed to a list.

Many thanks
Simon

 

[Graham Mayor]

This is quite complicated to achieve as Word is not designed for this type
of merge - see http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=294686

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[macropod]

Hi Simon,

Is this the same mailmerge process that was the subject of your post of 20 July?

If so, you need to embed the 'correspondence' within the body of the field coding, plus you'll need to add a dummy record at the end
of your data set in Excel. The process is a bit complicated, but you can see an example here:
http://www.wopr.com/cgi-bin/w3t/showthreaded.pl?Number=723456

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Take a look at http://cornell.veplan.net/article.aspx?&a=3815

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Kimberly]

I read the article from Cornell and the MS article 294686 and understand them
and have been successful implementing them. However, I'm wondering how to add
other merge field(s) at the bottom of the page or after the multiple records
only once (as if they were in the header), but before the page break.
For example an invoice: has header info at the top of the page, the middle
is multiple records (item, qty, price) and at the bottom a total for the
entire invoice. I can get this total field from the data source there is no
need to sum). I can't figure out how to get the total field at the bottom
without it showing multiple times. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

I do not think that it is possible to do that with that method of producing
such letters as any mergefields that you insert after the multiple data
items will pick up the data that applies to the next record.

If I was doing it, I would probably have the data in an Access database and
use a report in Access.

The other alternative is a "roll-your-own" substitute for mail merge that
uses a template as the main document and uses VBA code to interate through
the data source. creating new documents from the template when the key data
changes, and inserting the multiple data items into each letter prior to
going on to the next letter.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[macropod]

Hi Kimberly,

For a working solution that you might be able to modify to suit your needs, see:
http://www.wopr.com/cgi-bin/w3t/showthreaded.pl?Number=723456
The example there is based on an Excel data source and requires you to insert a dummy 'last' data record into the data source.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Hi Paul,

For some reason, the Landlord letter.doc opens up as a Letters type mail
merge main document and has to be changed to a Directory type document to
get it to work.

The problem remains however that if you insert a merge field somewhere in
the

Landlord General Information

Each time a tenant contacts the District to close their account, the account
will automatically revert back to the landlord.

Please notify the PUD if the tenant has vacated the addresses and has not
notified the PUD to close account.



that comes after the list of properties, that mergefield will display the
data from the next (landlord) record in the datasource, not data from the
landlord whose list of properties is included in that letter.


--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hi Kimberly,

For a working solution that you might be able to modify to suit your
needs, see:
http://www.wopr.com/cgi-bin/w3t/showthreaded.pl?Number=723456
The example there is based on an Excel data source and requires you to
insert a dummy 'last' data record into the data source.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

I read the article from Cornell and the MS article 294686 and understand
them and have been successful implementing them. However, I'm wondering
how to add other merge field(s) at the bottom of the page or after the
multiple records only once (as if they were in the header), but before the
page break. For example an invoice: has header info at the top of the
page, the middle is multiple records (item, qty, price) and at the bottom
a total for the entire invoice. I can get this total field from the data
source there is no need to sum). I can't figure out how to get the total
field at the bottom without it showing multiple times. Any advise would be

 

[macropod]

Hi Doug,

I don't understand why the merge type changed but, nothwithstanding that, the field coding worked in my testing and met the needs of
the wopr poster.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Hi Paul,

For some reason, the Landlord letter.doc opens up as a Letters type mail merge main document and has to be changed to a Directory
type document to get it to work.

The problem remains however that if you insert a merge field somewhere in the

Landlord General Information

Each time a tenant contacts the District to close their account, the account will automatically revert back to the landlord.

Please notify the PUD if the tenant has vacated the addresses and has not notified the PUD to close account.



that comes after the list of properties, that mergefield will display the data from the next (landlord) record in the datasource,
not data from the landlord whose list of properties is included in that letter.


--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hi Kimberly,

For a working solution that you might be able to modify to suit your needs, see:
http://www.wopr.com/cgi-bin/w3t/showthreaded.pl?Number=723456
The example there is based on an Excel data source and requires you to insert a dummy 'last' data record into the data source.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

I read the article from Cornell and the MS article 294686 and understand them and have been successful implementing them.
However, I'm wondering how to add other merge field(s) at the bottom of the page or after the multiple records only once (as if
they were in the header), but before the page break. For example an invoice: has header info at the top of the page, the middle
is multiple records (item, qty, price) and at the bottom a total for the entire invoice. I can get this total field from the data
source there is no need to sum). I can't figure out how to get the total field at the bottom without it showing multiple times.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. "Doug Robbins - Word MVP" wrote:

Take a look at http://cornell.veplan.net/article.aspx?&a=3815

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hi,

I'm trying to prepare a mailmerge that is a letter with part of the
letter listing several rows of data to the recipient. The recipient
information is in the data file 5 times as there are then 5 pieces of
data that need listing in part of the letter before the letter is then
finished. There is some other information in the data file that needs
to go in the letter but that is supplied 5 times and is identical.

Hope that made sense? Can anyone help as i'm getting 5 letters out
each with one piece of the unique data as aposed to a list.

Many thanks
Simon

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Hi Paul,

Yes, the field coding works as is, BUT, it does not include information
AFTER the list of properties (for example in your case in the "Landlord
General Information" section of the letter, where that information would be
provided by a merge field such as, in your example, { MERGEFIELD Desc }.

If you insert such a merge field in that location in the mail merge main
document, it will return information from the next record (the next
landlord) in the data source.

I do not know of any way in which this requirement can be met by the use of
such a construction.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hi Doug,

I don't understand why the merge type changed but, nothwithstanding that,
the field coding worked in my testing and met the needs of the wopr
poster.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Hi Paul,

For some reason, the Landlord letter.doc opens up as a Letters type mail
merge main document and has to be changed to a Directory type document to
get it to work.

The problem remains however that if you insert a merge field somewhere in
the

Landlord General Information

Each time a tenant contacts the District to close their account, the
account will automatically revert back to the landlord.

Please notify the PUD if the tenant has vacated the addresses and has not
notified the PUD to close account.



that comes after the list of properties, that mergefield will display the
data from the next (landlord) record in the datasource, not data from the
landlord whose list of properties is included in that letter.


--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hi Kimberly,

For a working solution that you might be able to modify to suit your
needs, see:
http://www.wopr.com/cgi-bin/w3t/showthreaded.pl?Number=723456
The example there is based on an Excel data source and requires you to
insert a dummy 'last' data record into the data source.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]


I read the article from Cornell and the MS article 294686 and understand
them and have been successful implementing them. However, I'm wondering
how to add other merge field(s) at the bottom of the page or after the
multiple records only once (as if they were in the header), but before
the page break. For example an invoice: has header info at the top of
the page, the middle is multiple records (item, qty, price) and at the
bottom a total for the entire invoice. I can get this total field from
the data source there is no need to sum). I can't figure out how to get
the total field at the bottom without it showing multiple times. Any
advise would be greatly appreciated. "Doug Robbins - Word MVP" wrote:

Take a look at http://cornell.veplan.net/article.aspx?&a=3815

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hi,

I'm trying to prepare a mailmerge that is a letter with part of the
letter listing several rows of data to the recipient. The recipient
information is in the data file 5 times as there are then 5 pieces
of
data that need listing in part of the letter before the letter is
then
finished. There is some other information in the data file that
needs
to go in the letter but that is supplied 5 times and is identical.

Hope that made sense? Can anyone help as i'm getting 5 letters out
each with one piece of the unique data as aposed to a list.

Many thanks
Simon

 

[macropod]

Hi Doug,

Yes, I see now what you mean - sometimes it takes a while for the lights to come on.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Hi Paul,

Yes, the field coding works as is, BUT, it does not include information
AFTER the list of properties (for example in your case in the "Landlord
General Information" section of the letter, where that information would be
provided by a merge field such as, in your example, { MERGEFIELD Desc }.

If you insert such a merge field in that location in the mail merge main
document, it will return information from the next record (the next
landlord) in the data source.

I do not know of any way in which this requirement can be met by the use of
such a construction.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hi Doug,

I don't understand why the merge type changed but, nothwithstanding that,
the field coding worked in my testing and met the needs of the wopr
poster.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Hi Paul,

For some reason, the Landlord letter.doc opens up as a Letters type mail
merge main document and has to be changed to a Directory type document to
get it to work.

The problem remains however that if you insert a merge field somewhere in
the

Landlord General Information

Each time a tenant contacts the District to close their account, the
account will automatically revert back to the landlord.

Please notify the PUD if the tenant has vacated the addresses and has not
notified the PUD to close account.



that comes after the list of properties, that mergefield will display the
data from the next (landlord) record in the datasource, not data from the
landlord whose list of properties is included in that letter.


--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hi Kimberly,

For a working solution that you might be able to modify to suit your
needs, see:
http://www.wopr.com/cgi-bin/w3t/showthreaded.pl?Number=723456
The example there is based on an Excel data source and requires you to
insert a dummy 'last' data record into the data source.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]


I read the article from Cornell and the MS article 294686 and understand
them and have been successful implementing them. However, I'm wondering
how to add other merge field(s) at the bottom of the page or after the
multiple records only once (as if they were in the header), but before
the page break. For example an invoice: has header info at the top of
the page, the middle is multiple records (item, qty, price) and at the
bottom a total for the entire invoice. I can get this total field from
the data source there is no need to sum). I can't figure out how to get
the total field at the bottom without it showing multiple times. Any
advise would be greatly appreciated. "Doug Robbins - Word MVP" wrote:

Take a look at http://cornell.veplan.net/article.aspx?&a=3815

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hi,

I'm trying to prepare a mailmerge that is a letter with part of the
letter listing several rows of data to the recipient. The recipient
information is in the data file 5 times as there are then 5 pieces
of
data that need listing in part of the letter before the letter is
then
finished. There is some other information in the data file that
needs
to go in the letter but that is supplied 5 times and is identical.

Hope that made sense? Can anyone help as i'm getting 5 letters out
each with one piece of the unique data as aposed to a list.

Many thanks
Simon

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Hi Kimberly,

Another way of doing that, with such a field construction, would be to have
the data that you want to display after the multiple records contained in a
mergefield (you would probably have to add a new field in the data source in
the NEXT record in the data source AFTER the last of the multiple records
and to have a dummy record at the end of the datasource that contains just
that data for the last group of multiple records.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Walter Briscoe]

In message <uud#[email protected]> of Tue, 19 Aug 2008
21:14:35 in microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields, macropod

Hi Kimberly,

For a working solution that you might be able to modify to suit your
needs, see:
http://www.wopr.com/cgi-bin/w3t/showthreaded.pl?Number=723456
The example there is based on an Excel data source and requires you to
insert a dummy 'last' data record into the data source.

macropod,

I downloaded this, learnt a lot, and have some questions.

I can get a working merge by pasting code from "Catalogue Mailmerge
Tutorial.doc" to "Mailmerge Main Document.doc". I am unable to create my
own document to mimic "Mailmerge Main Document.doc".

The connection to "Catalogue Merge Data.xls" from "Mailmerge Main
Document.doc" uses a technique which is hidden to me. It allows the
folder to be relocated and maintain the connection. It does not use
Cindy Meister's VBA method to establish the connection.

The connection also allows money amounts like "$8,000" to be passed
where I see "8000" and refers to the whole document rather than a sheet.
How?

I am sure others will appreciate an explanation of the techniques.

Much less significant is the display of "Coffs Harbour" on a line which
has "Justify" set. On my example, Harbour is thrown to the right by the
justification; you avoid it. How?
There seems to be a normal space between the two words.
(Ctrl+F finds a space in Excel where I do not find anything like Word's
Hide/Unhide to show graphic glyphs to render whitespace.)

P.S.
Can you suggest a probe which will allow me to answer such questions for
myself? If necessary, I guess I could learn to read RTF ;(

 

[macropod]

Hi Walter,

I am unable to create my own document to mimic "Mailmerge Main Document.doc".

The procedures for creating your own mailmerge main document, linked to your own data source, are set out in section headed 'Set Up
the Main Mailmerge Document'.

The connection to "Catalogue Merge Data.xls" from "Mailmerge Main Document.doc"
uses a technique which is hidden to me.

2. The 'Main Mailmerge Document' attached to the tutorial has already been through the process described at 1, above.

The connection also allows money amounts like "$8,000" to be passed where I see "8000"

3. The $ symbols in the tutorial's merged output appear in the tutorial's data file. If they don't appear in your data file and you
want them in your output, you'll need to format the relevant mergefields with the appropriate numeric picture switch. The field
coding under the heading 'Format the Output and/or Insert Additional Text Before the Repeated Data' has such a switch (see also
Word's help file for more details).

Much less significant is the display of "Coffs Harbour" on a line which has "Justify" set. On my example, Harbour is thrown to the
right by the justification; you avoid it. How?

4. In the tutorial, the paragraphs containing the mergefields were formatted with left & decimal tabs at 5 and 10cm, respectively.
That's what controls the paragraph layout. Obviously, if you paste the code into a paragraph with a different layout, the results
will differ.

 

[Walter Briscoe]

In message <#[email protected]> of Mon, 8 Sep 2008
07:56:49 in microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields, macropod

macropod,
Thanks for a prompt reply. The 9 hours difference between the UK and
Western Australia slows communication. I assume spring for you is dry.
Autumn in the UK is depressingly wet. (That's allowed me to confirm the
stereotype of Poms' weather obsession.)

Hi Walter,


The procedures for creating your own mailmerge main document, linked to
your own data source, are set out in section headed 'Set Up the Main
Mailmerge Document'.

I confess I had followed those instructions without giving them much
attention. (I am using Word 2003 SP1 on Windows XP SP2) I read them
again. I set Tools/Options/General/Confirm conversion at Open" to get
the "Confirm Data Source" dialog (sic) where "OLE DB Database Files"
defaulted and "MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls)" and "Excel Files via
ODBC (*.xls)" were also offered. A "Show all" checkbox causes many more
offerings to be made. I decided to restrict my testing to those 3
offerings and to record macros to give some impression of what was
happening under the hood.
On reflection, I won't report my macros. I assume the work has already
been reported and would appreciate a reference.

"Excel Files via ODBC (*.xls)" caused a "Select Dialog" dialog to be
opened with nothing to select. I had to check "Tables", "Views", and
"System Tables" in the "Table Options" dialog selected by clicking the
"Options..." button to cause "Sheet1$" to be selectable and I duly
selected it.

The following were displayed:
Confirm Data Source Sales Selection from
OLE DB Database Files 2100 [Sheet1$] in "a.xls"
MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls) $2,100 [a.xl] in "a.xls!Entire Spreadsheet"
Excel Files via ODBC (*.xls) 2100. [Sheet1$] in "a.xls"

"MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls)" seems to do what you do.

2. The 'Main Mailmerge Document' attached to the tutorial has already
been through the process described at 1, above.


3. The $ symbols in the tutorial's merged output appear in the
tutorial's data file. If they don't appear in your data file and you
want them in your output, you'll need to format the relevant
mergefields with the appropriate numeric picture switch. The field
coding under the heading 'Format the Output and/or Insert Additional
Text Before the Repeated Data' has such a switch (see also Word's help
file for more details).

You use "{MERGEFIELD Sales \# $,0.00}". (I typed that. I have been
foolish enough not to note a recent posting on using a VBA macro to copy
field codes and now can't find it. ;( )

4. In the tutorial, the paragraphs containing the mergefields were
formatted with left & decimal tabs at 5 and 10cm, respectively. That's
what controls the paragraph layout. Obviously, if you paste the code
into a paragraph with a different layout, the results will differ.

I am sorry to say I think something else applies. Neither "Mailmerge
Main Document.doc" nor my document have tabs set but the tabs in field
codes in "Catalogue Mailmerge Tutorial.doc" are passed through to the
output document when trying "Merge Records By Category". As I said, I
think this is less important.

Thanks again for your response. It caused me to learn a lot and leaves
me with more to learn from your work.

 

[macropod]

Hi Walter,

The tabs are 'passed through' because they're in the field codes. You can see them if you press Alt-F9 or if you select the field
and press Shift-F9. One setting I use that you might not be using, is found under Tools|Options|Compatability: 'Don't expand
character spaces on the line ending Shift-Return'. That could affect the way the lines are output in your document - you could also
suppress this behaviour for a selected line by inserting a tab after the last character on that line.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

In message <#[email protected]> of Mon, 8 Sep 2008 07:56:49 in microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields, macropod

macropod,
Thanks for a prompt reply. The 9 hours difference between the UK and Western Australia slows communication. I assume spring for
you is dry. Autumn in the UK is depressingly wet. (That's allowed me to confirm the stereotype of Poms' weather obsession.)

Hi Walter,


The procedures for creating your own mailmerge main document, linked to your own data source, are set out in section headed 'Set
Up the Main Mailmerge Document'.

I confess I had followed those instructions without giving them much attention. (I am using Word 2003 SP1 on Windows XP SP2) I
read them again. I set Tools/Options/General/Confirm conversion at Open" to get the "Confirm Data Source" dialog (sic) where "OLE
DB Database Files" defaulted and "MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls)" and "Excel Files via ODBC (*.xls)" were also offered. A
"Show all" checkbox causes many more offerings to be made. I decided to restrict my testing to those 3 offerings and to record
macros to give some impression of what was happening under the hood.
On reflection, I won't report my macros. I assume the work has already been reported and would appreciate a reference.

"Excel Files via ODBC (*.xls)" caused a "Select Dialog" dialog to be opened with nothing to select. I had to check "Tables",
"Views", and "System Tables" in the "Table Options" dialog selected by clicking the "Options..." button to cause "Sheet1$" to be
selectable and I duly selected it.

The following were displayed:
Confirm Data Source Sales Selection from
OLE DB Database Files 2100 [Sheet1$] in "a.xls"
MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls) $2,100 [a.xl] in "a.xls!Entire Spreadsheet"
Excel Files via ODBC (*.xls) 2100. [Sheet1$] in "a.xls"

"MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls)" seems to do what you do.

2. The 'Main Mailmerge Document' attached to the tutorial has already been through the process described at 1, above.


3. The $ symbols in the tutorial's merged output appear in the tutorial's data file. If they don't appear in your data file and
you want them in your output, you'll need to format the relevant mergefields with the appropriate numeric picture switch. The
field coding under the heading 'Format the Output and/or Insert Additional Text Before the Repeated Data' has such a switch (see
also Word's help file for more details).

You use "{MERGEFIELD Sales \# $,0.00}". (I typed that. I have been foolish enough not to note a recent posting on using a VBA
macro to copy field codes and now can't find it. ;( )

4. In the tutorial, the paragraphs containing the mergefields were formatted with left & decimal tabs at 5 and 10cm, respectively.
That's what controls the paragraph layout. Obviously, if you paste the code into a paragraph with a different layout, the results
will differ.

I am sorry to say I think something else applies. Neither "Mailmerge Main Document.doc" nor my document have tabs set but the tabs
in field codes in "Catalogue Mailmerge Tutorial.doc" are passed through to the output document when trying "Merge Records By
Category". As I said, I think this is less important.

Thanks again for your response. It caused me to learn a lot and leaves me with more to learn from your work.

 

[Walter Briscoe]

In message <[email protected]> of Mon, 8 Sep 2008
18:03:01 in microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields, macropod

Hi Walter,

The tabs are 'passed through' because they're in the field codes. You
can see them if you press Alt-F9 or if you select the field and press
Shift-F9. One setting I use that you might not be using, is found under
Tools|Options|Compatability: 'Don't expand character spaces on the line
ending Shift-Return'. That could affect the way the lines are output in
your document - you could also suppress this behaviour for a selected
line by inserting a tab after the last character on that line.

macropod,
That hits the spot! Can I suggest that you might use our conversation as
a catalyst to modify the instructions in "Catalogue Mailmerge
Tutorial.doc"? With such work, I try to re-create what the author has
done before moving on to my own work. As it happens, I have no current
need to do directory merges.

I suppose I should test your other examples and report any exceptions.
Give me a little time!

 

[Walter Briscoe]

In message <[email protected]> of Mon, 8 Sep 2008
09:35:15 in microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields, Walter Briscoe

[snip]

I suppose I should test your other examples and report any exceptions.
Give me a little time!

I did not find anything remarkable in the rest of the tutorial.

However, I have found something which I find VERY interesting in
"Mailmerge Main Document.doc".

I used the sysinternals free product procmon to monitor attempts to open
*.xls.

During the attempt to open "C:\wfb\mailmerge\CatalogueMerge\Mailmerge
Main Document.doc", After QueryOpen fails on
"C:\Users\Waramanga\Documents\Catalogue Merge Data.xls", it succeeds in
opening "C:\wfb\mailmerge\CatalogueMerge\Catalogue Merge Data.xls" This
recovery action seems to be a feature when opening data sources as "MS
Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls)" and absent for other types of data
source.
I have not seen it described before. It allows a .doc, .xls pfile pair
to me arbitrarily moved together without need of any fix up. I find it
much easier than Cindy Meister's brilliant method in "Office VBA: Macros
You Can Use Today" to establish the connection. However, her method
words for all types of data source.

So, my tentative recipe to allow a portable mail merge connection
between a .doc and a .xls in Word 2003, SP1 is ensure
"Tools|Options|General|Confirm conversion at Open" is checked; in
"Select recipients", "Use an existing list" & "Confirm data source" as
"MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls)".

I shall try it in other mail merges I wrote previously.
If I am wrong, I hope to be quickly shouted down.

 

[macropod]

Hi Walter,

I've now added a comment about the compatability settings to the tutorial, plus an example of how to produce a listing using two
sort keys.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

In message <[email protected]> of Mon, 8 Sep 2008 09:35:15 in microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields, Walter

[snip]

I suppose I should test your other examples and report any exceptions. Give me a little time!

I did not find anything remarkable in the rest of the tutorial.

However, I have found something which I find VERY interesting in "Mailmerge Main Document.doc".

I used the sysinternals free product procmon to monitor attempts to open *.xls.

During the attempt to open "C:\wfb\mailmerge\CatalogueMerge\Mailmerge Main Document.doc", After QueryOpen fails on
"C:\Users\Waramanga\Documents\Catalogue Merge Data.xls", it succeeds in opening "C:\wfb\mailmerge\CatalogueMerge\Catalogue Merge
Data.xls" This recovery action seems to be a feature when opening data sources as "MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls)" and
absent for other types of data source.
I have not seen it described before. It allows a .doc, .xls pfile pair to me arbitrarily moved together without need of any fix
up. I find it much easier than Cindy Meister's brilliant method in "Office VBA: Macros You Can Use Today" to establish the
connection. However, her method words for all types of data source.

So, my tentative recipe to allow a portable mail merge connection between a .doc and a .xls in Word 2003, SP1 is ensure
"Tools|Options|General|Confirm conversion at Open" is checked; in "Select recipients", "Use an existing list" & "Confirm data
source" as "MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls)".

I shall try it in other mail merges I wrote previously.
If I am wrong, I hope to be quickly shouted down.