Re: Using DDE as source in mail merge

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

DDE can be a bit flaky which is presumably why Microsoft changed the default
connection method.

If your work*** is formatted using numbers and the cells formatted as
percentages, then they should be imported into Word as long decimal numbers,
which, as you realise, can be formatted with switches thus { ={ MERGEFIELD
Number } * 100 \# "0%" }. I am unable to force any percentage to come across
intact useing the default connection.

If you enter the fields manually from the keyboard, it takes but a moment
longer to add the switches - and you only have to do it once. The document
can be saved for re-use. You could even assign an unformatted autocorrect
entry of (say) =% to * 100 \# "0%" for speed of entry.


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

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

Glibby Gibson wrote:
Word 2003 and Excel 2003 - I have some fields in an XL file that are
percentages - show as 14.5%, 20.8% etc. in XL. No formulae in the
cell - just hard values. When I mail merge to a Word doc some of the
percentages merge correctly - 20.8%, and others don't -
0.1449657838267 etc.

I've used mergefield switches to make the merge work correctly (but
it's pretty slow to add for all the fields I'm merging) and I've seen
a post about switching back to a DDE interface - which is how I'd
like to go.

Here's the rub - when I select the XL file, select DDE and select the
entire spread***, I get a message that Word cannot open the source
file. If I try and open a different XL file under DDE it works fine
and I get the data merge I want - although it's on the wrong XL file!
Is it possible that all my original trial and error work has
corrupted the original XL file and I need to rebuild (hope not, it's
a LONG process) or is there something I'm missing here?
Thanks - sorry for long post.
Glibby


.

Quantcast