WD: Print Merge Questions and Answers (Word 5.x)

• Microsoft Word for Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.1

SUMMARY

The following information applies to print merge questions and answers about Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 5.0 and 5.1.

MORE INFORMATION

   1. Q. I'm receiving the error message ''Data Record Too
         Long.'' What's wrong?

      A. Word is probably detecting an extra field in a data record in
         the data document.

         Word detects an extra field if your data document contains any
         of the following:

         1. An extra field separator (comma or tab) in one or more of
            the data records in the data document

         2. A paragraph mark above the header line of field names

         3. Incomplete quotation marks around a field that contains a
            comma

         There are four methods you can use to correct this problem:

         Method 1

         1. From the View menu, choose Show  ("paragraph marker"--the
            symbol that looks like a backward "P").

         2. Remove any extra tab characters in data records, as well as
            any paragraph marks above the header line of field names.

         Method 2

         Make sure there are opening and closing quotation marks around
         any field that contains a comma.

         Method 3

         1. When you choose Print Merge, select "Merge & Save Results in
            New File" instead of "Merge & Print Results."

         2. Choose OK when the error message appears.

         3. Count how many records Word writes to the screen. If you are
            creating mailing labels, the problem record will be within a
            page of the last record shown on the screen. Otherwise, it
            will be the record after the last record that printed.

         Method 4

         Save the data document as Text Only and retry the merge.

         For more information on troubleshooting print merge errors,
         please refer to Chapter 33, "Print Merge Basics," which starts
         on page 622 in the "Microsoft Word User's Guide."

   2. Q. I'm receiving the error message ''Missing Comma in Data
         Record.'' What's wrong?

      A. Word is probably detecting too few fields in one or more of the
         data records.

         Word detects too few fields if your data document contains any
         of the following:

         1. An extra paragraph mark after the last record in the data
            document

         2. An extra paragraph mark between the header line of field
            names and the first record, or between any two records

         3. No delimiter to compensate for a blank field

         There are four methods you can use to correct this problem:

         Method 1

         1. From the View menu, choose Show  ("paragraph marker"--the
            symbol that looks like a backward "P").

         2. Look for and remove any extra paragraph marks between
            records and the header line, as well as at the end of the
            data document.

         Method 2

         If there are any fields that are not supposed to contain data,
         either make sure to type an extra field separator to indicate
         that the field is blank, or make sure there is a blank cell in
         the table.

         Method 3

         1. When you choose Print Merge, select "Merge & Save Results in
            New File" rather than "Merge & Print Results."

         2. Choose OK when the error message appears.

         3. Count how many records Word writes to the screen. If you are
            creating mailing labels, the problem record will be within a
            page of the last record shown on the screen. Otherwise, it
            will be the record after the last record displayed.

         Method 4

         Save the data document as Text Only and retry the merge.

         For more information on troubleshooting print merge errors,
         please refer to Chapter 33, "Print Merge Basics," which starts
         on page 622 in the "Microsoft Word User's Guide."

   3. Q. I'm receiving the error message ''Unknown Field Name.'' What's
         wrong?

      A. Probably, the field names are not exactly the same in the main
         document and the data document.

         Four common causes of this situation are:

         1. There are space characters after field names in the main
            document.

         2. There are extra >> (closing chevron) characters around field
            names.

         3. The DATA statement in the main document is referring to the
            wrong data document.

         4. The DATA statement in the main document is referring to the
            main document.

         There are two methods for correcting the problem:

         Method 1

         1. From the File menu, choose Print Merge.

         2. Select "Merge & Save Results in New File," and choose OK
            every time the message occurs for several records.

         3. In the merged document, look for the ''**Unknown Field
            Name**'' error message. This message occurs in place of the
            field that Word does not recognize.

         Method 2

         Use Copy and Paste to copy the field names from the main
         document and paste them in the header record in the data
         document. Be sure to copy only the field names and not the
         chevrons in the main document.

         For more information on troubleshooting print merge errors,
         please refer to Chapter 33, "Print Merge Basics," which starts
         on page 622 in the "Microsoft Word User's Guide."

   4. Q. I'm receiving the error message ''Too Many Edits,'' ''Not
         Enough Disk Space...,'' or ''Not Enough Memory to Complete
         Operation.'' What's wrong?

      A. Word is out of memory and is unable to perform the action you
         requested.

         Three possible causes of this situation are:

         1. There are too many records being merged in one print merge.
            The Apple(R) System Print Manager has a limit of 128 pages
            per file that can be merged at one time to an
            ImageWriter(R).

         2. Either the RAM Cache in the Control Panel is turned on, or
            there are some RAM-resident desk accessories or INITs
            running.

         3. You selected New Document, an option that uses more memory.

         Use any of the following seven suggestions to help conserve
         memory:

         1. Print a smaller range of records by specifying record
            numbers in the From and To boxes in the Print Merge dialog
            box.

         2. Divide the data document into several smaller documents.

         3. Set up ImageWriter labels for full US Letter size paper as
            you would for LaserWriter(R) mailing labels.

         4. Close any unused windows.

         5. Save the file, quit Word, and then restart Word.

         6. Choose Control Panel from the Apple menu and turn the RAM
            Cache off, then restart the Macintosh.

         7. Try selecting the "Merge and Print Results" option instead
            of the "Merge and Save Results in New File" option in the
            Print Merge dialog box.

         For more information on troubleshooting print merge errors,
         please refer to Chapter 33, "Print Merge Basics," which starts
         on page 622 in the "Microsoft Word User's Guide."

   5. Q. I'm receiving the error message ''Please Locate: <Document
         Name>.'' What's wrong?

      A. The name of the data document does not exactly match the DATA
         statement in the main document.

         Three possible causes of this situation are:

         1. There are space characters before or after a field name.

         2. There are extra << (opening chevron) or >> (closing chevron)
            characters.

         3. The data document name is misspelled.

         To correct the problem, do one of the following:

         1. Retype the DATA statement in the main document.

         2. From the File menu, choose Save As while you are in the data
            document. Type a one- or two-letter name and change the DATA
            instruction in the main document to match it.

         For more information on troubleshooting print merge errors,
         please refer to Chapter 33, "Print Merge Basics," which starts
         on page 622 in the "Microsoft Word User's Guide."