Keep format from data source - \* MERGEFORMAT ??

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Karin Stiles - 17 Mar 2004 11:51 GMT

I'm setting up a form letter and thought there was a way to keep the
formatting from my data source. I've tried:
{MERGEFIELD StepMatl2 \* MERGEFORMAT }
{MERGEFIELD StepMatl2 \* CHARFORMAT }
{MERGEFIELD StepMatl2 }
but StepMatl2 just keeps showing up in Times New Roman size 12 (the Normal
style in my Word document) instead of how I formatted StepMatl2 in my Excel
spreadsheet: Arial Bold size 10.

(I'm using Word/Excel2000, WindowsXP)

I can't just format the field in Word because it will change depending on
what is in the field. If it describes a step, I want it TNR size 12. If
it's a material, I want it Arial Bold Size 10.

Thanks for any insight you have,
Karin

Reply to this Message

Peter Jamieson - 22 Mar 2004 10:17 GMT

\*Mergeformat does not use the formatting in the source- what it tries to
use is the formatting applied to the previous /result/.

In fact it is difficult to preserve the formatting of the source - the only
reasonably good way is to use a data source in Word .doc format and use an
undocumented kludge. e.g.

{ StepMat2 }

or perhaps

{ REF StepMat2 }

instead of

{ MERGEFIELD StepMat2 }

> I can't just format the field in Word because it will change depending on
> what is in the field. If it describes a step, I want it TNR size 12. If
> it's a material, I want it Arial Bold Size 10.

As long as there is a simple way to recognise the type of data you should be
able to use IF fields and apply formatting using e.g. \*Charformat to the
result. However, "simple" probably has to be /really/ simple, e.g. there is
a field in your data source which says what kind of data (step or material)
is in StepMat2 in this particular record.

Signature

Peter Jamieson - Word MVP
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org/

> I'm setting up a form letter and thought there was a way to keep the
> formatting from my data source. I've tried:
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Thanks for any insight you have,
> Karin

Reply to this Message