DMM: Word Does Not Prompt to Convert File When Opening Document

• Microsoft Direct Mail Manager for Windows
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you use Direct Mail Manager, Word may not prompt you with the Convert File dialog box in the following cases.

Case 1

You open a non-Word for Windows address file in Direct Mail Manager.

Case 2

You use Direct Mail Manager and then return to Word. (You are not prompted to select a converter when you open a non-Word file in Word.)

CAUSE

This functionality is by design. Direct Mail Manager automatically turns off the Confirm Conversion At Open option when it uses Word to import your address list.

NOTE: When this feature is turned off, Word may use an incorrect converter to import your address list.

WORKAROUND

To work around this situation, use the method appropriate to your situation.

Method 1: If You Are Importing an Address List in Direct Mail Manager

Before you import the non-Word address list in Direct Mail Manager, open it in Word and save it in Word for Windows format.

Method 2: If You Are Opening a File Directly in Word

In Word 97 for Windows, turn the Confirm Conversion At Open option back on before you convert the non-Word document. To do this, follow these steps:

1. In a new, blank document, click Options on the Tools menu.

2. On the General tab, click to select the "Confirm Conversions at Open" check box, and then click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

Direct Mail Manager will import any address list that is in a table within a document file that Word can open outside of Direct Mail Manager. For example, Direct Mail Manager can open Word for Windows, Rich Text Format, WordPerfect, and Word for the Macintosh (or other supported conversion) files because Word 97 for Windows can convert these files.

For additional information about the document file formats that Word will convert, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q162987
   TITLE     : WD97: Supported Non-Word File Formats