INCLUDE PICTURE with MERGE FIELD

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David Knight - 08 Dec 2005 18:15 GMT

I have something strange going on with a Word/Access 2003 mail merge. I am
using the INCLUDEPICTURE command in order to add a unique signature to the
end of a letter, based on a Path and FileName stored in my database. Here
is what appears in my Word file:

{ INCLUDEPICTURE "{MERGEFIELD SignatureFileName }" /* MERGEFORMAT}

When I click on SAVE in Word - it replaces my merge field with the actual
database value from the record I am on. So after saving, it reads:

{ INCLUDEPICTURE "C://FolderName//DFKSig.bmp" /* MERGEFORMAT}

Of course, when I run Merge to New Document - all the signatures are the
same. If I manually remove the ""C://FolderName//DFKSig.bmp"" and replace
it with the MERGEFIELD - then run the letters it works. But if I save, it
puts the "C://FolderName//DFKSig.bmp" back in. So, I have to do this manual
step each time.

I have seen tons of posts here about merging images, and have followed all
the instructions.

Why would clicking SAVE change what I just did? Please help. thanks!!!

David Knight
RoundTable Solutions
david@roundtableusa.com

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Doug Robbins - Word MVP - 08 Dec 2005 18:47 GMT

All you may need to do is update the fields in the new document.

Signature

Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

>I have something strange going on with a Word/Access 2003 mail merge. I
>am using the INCLUDEPICTURE command in order to add a unique signature to
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> RoundTable Solutions
> david@roundtableusa.com

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David Knight - 08 Dec 2005 21:57 GMT

Not sure what you mean? Once the merge to new document is done, we do
CTRL-A and F9 to pull in the graphics. But since the file names from the
database aren't being used - all the images are the same.

The problem is that the merge field will not save. When I click save you
can actually see the "{MERGEFIELD SignatureFileName }" change to
"C://FolderName//DFKSig.bmp" before your eyes.

> All you may need to do is update the fields in the new document.
>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>> RoundTable Solutions
>> david@roundtableusa.com

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Doug Robbins - Word MVP - 09 Dec 2005 22:05 GMT

What do you actually have in the fields in the database?

C://FolderName//DFKSig.bmp

or

C:\\FolderName\\DFKSig.bmp?

It should be the latter.

What happens if you execute the merge BEFORE saving the main document.

Signature

Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

> Not sure what you mean? Once the merge to new document is done, we do
> CTRL-A and F9 to pull in the graphics. But since the file names from the
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>>> RoundTable Solutions
>>> david@roundtableusa.com

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David Knight - 13 Dec 2005 01:12 GMT

Here's an example of a database value:
C:\\DealershipFU\\Signatures\\Sig_PaulRMichelli.bmp
I think it is correct.

If we open the file, remove the hard-coded path and file name, insert the
merge field and then execute the merge - it works. But as soon as we save,
Word erases the merge field and inserts a hard-coded value.

This worked perfect in Word 2000 - this problem has cropped up since
converting to Word 2003.

> What do you actually have in the fields in the database?
>
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
>>>> RoundTable Solutions
>>>> david@roundtableusa.com

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IanG - 23 Feb 2006 11:50 GMT

Hi David

This isn't going to help other to confirm your not going mad. The following
is my experience with the same problem:-

I am using Word 2003 to Merge records from Excel 2003. I have an excel
column containing a Signature ID. In the merge document (Doc 1) I have the
following field:-
{INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\Temp\\Sig_{ MERGERFILED SIG_ID }.bmp" \* MERGERFORMAT }
Then the Doc 1 is merged to a new doc (Doc 2), all the output selected and
the fields updated with F9. This works correctly in Word 97 and 2000 but not
in Word 2003.
In Word 2003 you get whatever was currently visible in Doc 1 displayed
throughout the Doc 2. If after opening Doc 1, I do not update the field
(leaving the image placeholder blank), Doc 2 has blank fields throughout all
records. If I step to record 3 in Doc 1, and update the Signature field so
that the correct signature for the record is displayed, then the merged Doc 2
has record 3's signature throughout.
Just to confirm, if an identical document is created in Word 97 or 2000, the
fields work perfectly.
Any Suggestions?

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IanG - 23 Feb 2006 13:51 GMT

David

Further details

In my case, the actual path used was to a network drive, in further testing I
found Word 2003 actually replaces the merge field in the path on saving if
the path is local.

Additionally my problem only occurs when the INCLUDEPICTURE is nested within
an IF field. As a result I would now say the problem is that after the merge
document has been produced, in 2003 the IF resolves to an imbeded image,
rather than as previous version, resolving to in INCLUDEPICTURE field with
the derived merged path.

>Hi David
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>fields work perfectly.
>Any Suggestions?

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