Microsoft KB Archive/105033

{|
 * width="100%"|

WD: Cannot Change Default Data Field Names in Mail Merge Helper

 * }

Q105033

-

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 7.0, 7.0a
 * Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, version 6.0
 * Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0

-

SYMPTOMS
You cannot change the list of default mail merge field names in the Create Data Source dialog box.

CAUSE
You cannot change these defaults because the names are hard-coded in the Word program.

WORKAROUND
WARNING: ANY USE BY YOU OF THE CODE PROVIDED IN THIS ARTICLE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Microsoft provides this macro code "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.

Although you cannot change the defaults, you can use the following sample macros to automatically change the field names when you create a mail merge data file.

  Sub Main Dim Dlg As MailMergeCreateDataSource GetCurValues Dlg Dlg.HeaderRecord = "First,Last,whatever"  ' List of field names 'Use Windows list separator to delimit field names. Dialog Dlg MailMergeCreateDataSource Dlg End Sub NOTE: If you press ESC to cancel this macro while it is running, a WordBasic error occurs. Add an error-trapping routine if you want to avoid such error messages.