Mail Merge Document Loses Its Marbles

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DL - 30 Nov 2005 20:16 GMT

Each time I open a Word 2003 mail merge document, it "forgets" what its
datasource is and I have to relink it. Is there a setting I need to change in
order for the link to be remembered?

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 01 Dec 2005 09:55 GMT

Hi =?Utf-8?B?REw=?=,

> Each time I open a Word 2003 mail merge document, it "forgets" what its
> datasource is and I have to relink it. Is there a setting I need to change in
> order for the link to be remembered?

What's the data source type?

Is this happening with all documents (even new ones), or just certain ones?

If you start Word in Safe Mode (hold down the CTRL key), then set up a new merge
document, do you see the same behavior with that document?

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

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DL - 01 Dec 2005 22:16 GMT

Cindy:

It does happen with all documents and when in safe mode it produces an SQL
error but then the document loads and operates as it should. Any suggestions?

> Hi =?Utf-8?B?REw=?=,
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply
> in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 02 Dec 2005 13:35 GMT

Hi =?Utf-8?B?REw=?=,

> It does happen with all documents and when in safe mode it produces an SQL
> error but then the document loads and operates as it should.

the SQL message (not error) is correct behavior if you've never changed the
registry setting to disable this security measure.

the fact that you're apparently NOT seeing this otherwise is a confirmation
that the data sources are no longer connected when the documents are closed.

Since they remain connected when you start in Safe Mode, it means there's
most likely an Addin installed on this system that's doing something
(disconnecting the data sources? opening the mail merge documents?) involved
in the behavior.

Are you using some kind of Addin, that you know of?

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

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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DL - 02 Dec 2005 15:59 GMT

Cindy:

There are no add-ins I am aware of. However, I did create these using Word
2000 and we recently switched to XP and Word 2003 in my shop. Could there be
some quirks involved in 2003 format compared to 2000?

> Hi =?Utf-8?B?REw=?=,
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
> reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 04 Dec 2005 11:54 GMT

Hi =?Utf-8?B?REw=?=,

> There are no add-ins I am aware of. However, I did create these using Word
> 2000 and we recently switched to XP and Word 2003 in my shop. Could there be
> some quirks involved in 2003 format compared to 2000?
>

There could be file format issues, but then Word should behave the same in Safe
Mode (i.e. the data source is lost). Safe mode starts in installation default
mode: all macros and addins are blocked; all customizations are blocked; a
"pristine" Normal.dot template is used.

If you start with a new Word 2003 document (made from a Normal.dot template Word
2003 has generated, not one that's been upgraded) do you see anything different?

(Try renaming Normal.dot to NormalOLD.dot then start up Word to get a new, clean
copy of the template)

> > > It does happen with all documents and when in safe mode it produces an SQL
> > > error but then the document loads and operates as it should.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> >
> > Are you using some kind of Addin, that you know of?

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

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply
in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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DL - 19 Dec 2005 22:30 GMT

I renamed the old template and let word create a new one. The document still
forgets its settings the next time I open it.

> Hi =?Utf-8?B?REw=?=,
>
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply
> in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 20 Dec 2005 09:59 GMT

Hi =?Utf-8?B?REw=?=,

> I renamed the old template and let word create a new one. The document still
> forgets its settings the next time I open it.
>

OK, and if, using this new template, you set up a mail merge to the usual data
source, as a test? (This way we can determine whether it's local to the document, or
also occuring in new documents.)

You might also check whether this information (that I picked up somewhere and have in
my notes) is relevant

Main merge docs lose connection to data source when closed/opened
this issue may occur if the following registry entries and their sub-entries
were not set to Every-Full Control permission.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Access.Application
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Access.Application.10

> > > There are no add-ins I am aware of. However, I did create these using Word
> > > 2000 and we recently switched to XP and Word 2003 in my shop. Could there be
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> > > >
> > > > Are you using some kind of Addin, that you know of?

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