Microsoft KB Archive/212006

= WD2000: Error Message in Place of BARCODE Field =

Article ID: 212006

Article Last Modified on 5/1/2002

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q212006





SYMPTOMS
Either of the following error messages may appear in place of the POSTNET (POSTal Numeric Encoding Technique) bar code when you use the BARCODE field:

Zip code not valid!

-or-

No zip Code!



CAUSE
The BARCODE field may generate this error for any of the following reasons:
 * The BARCODE field in the mailing labels or envelopes mail merge main document refers to the wrong field or fields.

-or-
 * The ZIP Code portion of the mailing address contains invalid characters, such as nonbreaking hyphens, symbols, extra spaces, or other special characters.

-or-
 * The layout of the BARCODE field is incorrect.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use the methods that apply to your situation.

Method 1: Use the Correct Merge Fields and Layout
If the BARCODE field refers to the wrong field for the ZIP Code information, edit the BARCODE field and change the MERGEFIELD reference to the correct field name. Follow these steps to edit the BARCODE field:  Select the error message in your Word document. Display the field codes by pressing SHIFT+F9 (or click Options on the Tools menu, click the View tab, click to select the Field codes check box, and then click OK).

The BARCODE field codes similar to the following should appear:

{BARCODE "{MERGEFIELD address1}¶

{MERGEFIELD zipcode}" \u}¶

where address1 is the field containing the street address or postal box information and zipcode is the field containing the ZIP Code information.

NOTE: The BARCODE field must span two lines for the field to display a correct postal bar code. Ensure that the address1 field is the name of the field that contains the street address, and that the zipcode field is the name of the field that contains the ZIP Code information. If not, select the incorrect field and replace it with the correct field name. Turn the field codes off by pressing SHIFT+F9 (or click Options on the Tools menu, click the View tab, click to clear the Field codes check box, and then click OK).

Method 2: Remove Invalid Characters
If the data document contains invalid characters in the ZIP Code field, remove the invalid characters; if necessary, replace them with valid characters. The only valid characters allowed in the ZIP Code field are numeric digits (Arabic numerals) and a hyphen (dash) as the separator for the Zip+4.

Method 3: Correct the Quotation Marks
The BARCODE field must include quotation marks in the correct positions, as shown in the following examples:

{BARCODE "{MERGEFIELD address1}¶

{MERGEFIELD zipcode}" \u}¶

-or-

{BARCODE \u "LiteralText"}

where LiteralText must be a proper US Postal Code (for example: 98052-6399).



MORE INFORMATION
ZIP Code information referenced by the BARCODE field must be formatted as five numbers or five numbers followed by a hyphen, followed by four numbers. The "ZIP Code not valid!" error occurs if the data does not match the above mentioned format or invalid characters are used. The only valid characters are Arabic numerals and the hyphen character.

NOTE: Because the BARCODE field reads the data from left to right, a space after the last digit of the ZIP Code does not generate this error.

To view paragraph marks and other non-printing characters, click the Show/Hide button on the Standard toolbar.

For additional information about adding or creating a postal bar code in Microsoft Word, or if the bar code produces the incorrect results, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

214187 WD2000: Word Assigns a Delivery Point Bar Code of 99

Additional query words: barcode mail merge valid zip

Keywords: kbprb kbfield kbfaq KB212006

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