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betwalk@gmail.com - 19 Jan 2006 22:53 GMT

(Word & Access 2003 in Windows XP)

I was working today with someone who wanted to do a merge in Word,
using a data source from Access. I am very experienced in Access, and
so I helped her develop the right query in Access to create the dataset
she needed for her letters in Word.

When we went to Word and started the merge wizard, at the screen where
you identify your data source, I had no trouble finding the correct
database file, but my query didn't show in the list of tables and
queries. I tried over and over. I tried closing and reopening Word
and also the database, but every time ALL the tables and queries would
show in the list except the one that I'd just made for her.

Eventually, I just created the letter for her in Access with that query
as the data source, and she'll run the letters as reports from there.
I built in enough flexibility in Access for her to be able to use it
for a long time. But I want to help her understand how she can write
her own letters in Word and merge 'em with Access data.

Anyone know why this query would disappear every time I wanted to
identify it in the Word merge process, but it was right there in the
database?

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Peter Jamieson - 19 Jan 2006 23:49 GMT

Generally speaking the way to see the most queries when selecting a
Mailmerge data source is to check Word Tools|Options|General|Confirm
conversions at open. After you select the Access .mdb in Select Data Source
you should select the DDE option in the dialog box that appears.

There are a number of reasons why Word does not "see" Access queries when
you are trying to select a Mailmerge data source, including:
a. the user may not have permission to use the query (e.g. if you are using
Workgroup security - Word defaults to using the "Admin" user unless you
specify otherwise, and it's not completely obvious how to do tthat
b. queries that use User-defined (Access VBA) functions cannot be used
unless you connect using DDE, but Word 2003 connects using OLEDB by default
c. parameter queries cannot be used unless you connect using DDE
d. queries that use a small number of functions (mainly some specialised
financial functions, I think) are not visible
e. "complex" query types such as Union queries probably won't be visible.
f. queries using wildcards (*,?,%,_) may not be visible or return any
results because of a conflict where Word is expecting to use the Jet SQL
wildcards (*,?) whereas the database may be set up to use the ANSI
wildcards, or vice versa.

Peter Jamieson

> (Word & Access 2003 in Windows XP)
>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> identify it in the Word merge process, but it was right there in the
> database?

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betwalk@gmail.com - 20 Jan 2006 02:13 GMT

Hi Peter-

Thanks very much for this reply. It's full of good information. Of
all the above items you list, I'm wondering if a query that is based on
a value in an intermediate screen could be the culprit. This is not a
parameter query. I don't use those. But I do have an intermediate
form in which the user can place a date and the query reads that date
to filter the records. So the query is open at the time that Word is
running. That's probably it. I think I'll redesign it to a Make Table
query so that I can close Access altogether and Word can simply read
from a table and the query issues will not arise at all. The table can
be temporary and emptied between each usage.

I'll be in her office again next week and check out the Options
settings, too.

Thanks again!

Betsy

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Peter Jamieson - 20 Jan 2006 03:37 GMT

Sounds like you've found the culprit!

Peter Jamieson

> Hi Peter-
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Betsy

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