data source opened exclusively when using mail merge?

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M.Hitzert@focwa.org - 18 Aug 2005 14:25 GMT

Case: an excel file is currently in use as data source (mail merge with
a Word 2003 document).

Question: is it normal that the excel file can not be opened in excel
(i.e. for altering data) at the same time by the same or another user?

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Charles Kenyon - 18 Aug 2005 14:29 GMT

Yes, this is how it works. I've put a button on my merge toolbar that locks
all the merge fields. It could also change the document to a regular Word
document (non-merge) so as to close out the data file I suppose. (I have a
separate button that converts non-merge documents into merge documents,
attaches my data file, and brings up a dialog to select a data file.)

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Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
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See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome!
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> Case: an excel file is currently in use as data source (mail merge with
> a Word 2003 document).
>
> Question: is it normal that the excel file can not be opened in excel
> (i.e. for altering data) at the same time by the same or another user?

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M.Hitzert@focwa.org - 19 Aug 2005 08:32 GMT

Ok, clear on that. Thanks for the answer. I already thought though that
this was the way it works but some "mail merge" users in my company
claim that opening an excel file, when in use for a mail merge, was not
a problem in the past (using former versions of Office and the
DDE-method). Are they kidding me?

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 20 Aug 2005 10:41 GMT

> Ok, clear on that. Thanks for the answer. I already thought though that
> this was the way it works but some "mail merge" users in my company
> claim that opening an excel file, when in use for a mail merge, was not
> a problem in the past (using former versions of Office and the
> DDE-method). Are they kidding me?

No, they're correct. It's a function of how Word is connecting. You can
always go back to using DDE instead of OLE DB (the new default), as long
as your installation supports it. (Some simply can't work with the DDE
anymore, but it's a lottery.)

You'll find instructions on how to change connection methods in the Word
2002/2003 section of my website's mail merge FAQ.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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M.Hitzert@focwa.org - 22 Aug 2005 09:00 GMT

Cindy,

I already tried to switch back to DDE but Word 2003 keeps giving me an
error about not being able to (re)establish a DDE-connection. Is this
solvable? Or is this the lottery you are talking about? Some Office
2003 installations can work with DDE again and some can not . . .

Marc

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M.Hitzert@focwa.org - 22 Aug 2005 09:37 GMT

Problem seems to be solved!

I had to open a new excelfile and import the data from the 'old'
excelfile. Connecting to the new excel file via DDE did not give any
problems and the new excelfile can be opened seperately.

Marc

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 22 Aug 2005 10:06 GMT

> I had to open a new excelfile and import the data from the 'old'
> excelfile. Connecting to the new excel file via DDE did not give any
> problems and the new excelfile can be opened seperately.

aha! Damaged Excel file. Have to remember that for another time...
Thanks for updating us :-)

Cindy Meister

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