Microsoft KB Archive/197008

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WD97: Word Assigns a Delivery Point Bar Code (DPBC) of 99

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Q197008

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

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SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Word, when you use the address bar coding feature, a POSTNET delivery point bar code (DPBC) of 99 may be inserted in your document.

CAUSE
This problem occurs for one of the following reasons:


 * Word cannot parse the delivery address for the correct information.

-or-
 * The delivery address does not contain information that can generate a valid DPBC.

Word determines the DPBC by reading the address line preceding the address line containing the City, State, and ZIP Code (Postal Code). Note that Word determines the DPBC this way, regardless of the number of lines used to create the address.

MORE INFORMATION
An address will generate a DPBC of 99 if any of the following conditions are true:

 The address line does not contain a number: The address line contains only alpha characters:  The address line contains a slash mark (/): John Smith

123/4 Main St.

Anytown, WA 12345-6789 NOTE: Both 1/4 Main St. and 12/3/4 Main St. will generate the DPBC 99.  The address line contains an APO or an FPO.

Note that there are other conditions not listed here that may cause an address to generate a DPBC of 99.

Example 1
John Doe

Big Time Company

123 Main St.

Suite 456

Anytown, WA 98007-5555 Word tries to generate a DPBC from the next-to-last address line--in this case, "Suite 456," which is not a valid street address. To correct this problem, move "Suite 456" to the same line as the street address:

John Doe

Big Time Company

123 Main St. Suite 456

Anytown, WA 98007-5555

Example 2
Pinecliffe International

Post Office Drawer 3737

Coal Creek Canyon

Golden, CO 80401-0100 Word tries to generate a DPBC from the "Coal Creek Canyon" line of the address. Because there is no number on this line, Word returns a 99 DPBC. Moving "Coal Creek Canyon" to the previous line will not work because "Post Office Drawer" is not a recognized address term. Changing the address to this format will work:

Pinecliffe International

Coal Creek Canyon

PO Box 3737

Golden, CO 80401-0100 Because Word checks only the next-to-last address line, Word ignores the "Coal Creek Canyon" line and tries to generate a DPBC from the line that reads "PO Box 3737." Since this is a valid address term, it generates the correct DPBC.

Example 3--A Military Address
John Doe

Company A, 122 Sig BN

Unit 20511 Box 4290

APO AA 34049-1234 Because this is an APO address, Word will return a DPBC of 99.

Example 4--An invalid Street Address
John Doe

100 Main St.

Apt 204

Anytown, WA 12345-5678 Word will try to generate a DPBC using the next-to-last line, "Apt 204." Because this is not a valid street address, Word will return a DPBC of 99. To generate the correct DPBC, move the apartment number to the previous line:

John Doe

100 Main St., Apt 204

Anytown, WA 12345-5678 For information about reading bar codes, obtain the "Designing Mail" packet from the U.S. Postal Service or please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

"Q155187 WD: How to Read Postal Barcodes" NOTE: Word will not create a bar code for a Canadian postal code. Under the Canadian postal system, the post office applies bar coding to mail.