Microsoft KB Archive/43865

Word: FileMaker Has Special Formats for Mail Merge to Word

PSS ID Number: Q43865 Article last modified on 03-07-1997

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= SUMMARY =

When the Print Merge option in Microsoft Word for the Macintosh versions 3.0x or later is used with a FileMaker Plus version 1.0 or FileMaker 4 version 1.0 database to create a data document, you should create your output file using the Merge file format.

This option is available in both FileMaker Plus and FileMaker 4. It surrounds the data with quotation marks and commas and includes a header record at the beginning of the file.

FileMaker’s other three output file formats, Q Text, BASIC, and SYLK Q, aren’t as convenient. The Text and BASIC file formats will allow output to Word if a header record is entered at the beginning of the document and there are no commas or quotation marks in the fields. SYLK files cannot be used as print merge documents in Word.

= MORE INFORMATION =

FileMaker’s Merge file format interfaces with Word when used to create data documents. According to the “FileMaker Owner’s Manual,” field values are separated by commas; records are separated by a carriage return. The first record is a header record listing the field names. If you have commas in a field value, the entire field is surrounded by quotation marks. If you have quotation marks in a field value, the field is surrounded by quotation marks. If you have return characters in a field value, they are output as ASCII vertical tab characters. (This is the same character that is typed by pressing SHIFT+RETURN in Word.) If numbers and dates are not formatted, or if you specify that you don’t want the formatting to be copied into the output file, the values will be output exactly as you typed them. Otherwise, the same format will be used as when you browse or print records.

FileMaker’s Text file format is not quite as convenient to use. Fields are separated by tabs, and records are separated by return characters. FileMaker does not insert a header record, so you must add it yourself. FileMaker doesn’t surround the field with quotation marks in the Text file format, so commas might cause error messages in Word 3.0x (but not in 4.00).

Filemaker is manufactured by Claris, a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product’s performance or reliability. For more information about Filemaker, contact Claris at: 408-987-7000 or Claris technical support at: 408-727-9054.

KBCategory: kbprint KBSubCategory: kbmerge Additional reference words: macword macword5 ====================================================================== ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1997.