HOWTO: Automate Word 97 to Perform Mail Merge from Delphi

ID: Q229310

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article demonstrates how to create and manipulate a Word 97 document using Automation from Delphi.

MORE INFORMATION

This article parallels two articles that describe the same process using Visual C++ and Visual Basic. For more information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q220607 HOWTO: Automate Word 97 to Perform Mail Merge From Visual Basic

Q220911 HOWTO: Automate Word 97 to Perform a Mail Merge from Visual C++ and MFC

Building the Automation Sample

Start Delphi. A new project should be created by default.

Add a button to Form1.

Replace the contents of the code window for Unit1 with the following:


unit Unit1;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs,
  StdCtrls;

type
  TForm1 = class(TForm)
    Button1: TButton;
    procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
    procedure InsertLines(LineNum : Integer);
    procedure CreateMailMergeDataFile;
    procedure FillRow(Doc : Variant; Row : Integer;
                 Text1,Text2,Text3,Text4 : String);
  private
    { Private declarations }
  public
    wrdApp, wrdDoc: Variant;
    { Public declarations }
  end;

var
  Form1: TForm1;

implementation

uses ComObj;

Const wdAlignParagraphLeft = 0;
Const wdAlignParagraphCenter = 1;
Const wdAlignParagraphRight = 2;
Const wdAlignParagraphJustify = 3;
Const wdAdjustNone = 0;
Const wdGray25 = 16;
Const wdGoToLine = 3;
Const wdGoToLast = -1;
Const wdSendToNewDocument = 0;

{$R *.DFM}

procedure TForm1.InsertLines(LineNum : Integer);
var
  iCount : Integer;
begin
  for iCount := 1 to LineNum do
     wrdApp.Selection.TypeParagraph;
end;

procedure TForm1.FillRow(Doc : Variant; Row : Integer;
                 Text1,Text2,Text3,Text4 : String);
begin
  Doc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(Row,1).Range.InsertAfter(Text1);
  Doc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(Row,2).Range.InsertAfter(Text2);
  Doc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(Row,3).Range.InsertAfter(Text3);
  Doc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(Row,4).Range.InsertAfter(Text4);
end;

procedure TForm1.CreateMailMergeDataFile;
var
  wrdDataDoc : Variant;
  iCount : Integer;
begin
  // Create a data source at C:\DataDoc.doc containing the field data
  wrdDoc.MailMerge.CreateDataSource('C:\DataDoc.doc',,,'FirstName, LastName,' +
       ' Address, CityStateZip');
  // Open the file to insert data
  wrdDataDoc := wrdApp.Documents.Open('C:\DataDoc.doc');
  for iCount := 1 to 2 do
    wrdDataDoc.Tables.Item(1).Rows.Add;
  // Fill in the data
  FillRow(wrdDataDoc, 2, 'Steve', 'DeBroux',
        '4567 Main Street', 'Buffalo, NY  98052');
  FillRow(wrdDataDoc, 3, 'Jan', 'Miksovsky',
        '1234 5th Street', 'Charlotte, NC  98765');
  FillRow(wrdDataDoc, 4, 'Brian', 'Valentine',
        '12348 78th Street  Apt. 214', 'Lubbock, TX  25874');
  // Save and close the file
  wrdDataDoc.Save;
  wrdDataDoc.Close(False);
end;

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
  StrToAdd : String;
  wrdSelection, wrdMailMerge, wrdMergeFields : Variant;
begin
  // Create an instance of Word and make it visible
  wrdApp := CreateOleObject('Word.Application');
  wrdApp.Visible := True;
  // Create a new document
  wrdDoc := wrdApp.Documents.Add();
  wrdDoc.Select;

  wrdSelection := wrdApp.Selection;
  wrdMailMerge := wrdDoc.MailMerge;

  // Create MailMerge data file
  CreateMailMergeDataFile;

  // Create a string and insert it into the document
  StrToAdd := 'State University' + Chr(13) +
              'Electrical Engineering Department';
  wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment := wdAlignParagraphCenter;
  wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);

  InsertLines(4);

  // Insert Merge Data
  wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment := wdAlignParagraphLeft;
  wrdMergeFields := wrdMailMerge.Fields;
  wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'FirstName');
  wrdSelection.TypeText(' ');
  wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'LastName');
  wrdSelection.TypeParagraph;
  wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'Address');
  wrdSelection.TypeParagraph;
  wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'CityStateZip');

  InsertLines(2);

  // Right justify the line and insert a date field with
  // the current date
  wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment := wdAlignParagraphRight;
  wrdSelection.InsertDateTime('dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy',False);

  InsertLines(2);

  // Justify the rest of the document
  wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment := wdAlignParagraphJustify;

  wrdSelection.TypeText('Dear ');
  wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'FirstName');
  wrdSelection.TypeText(',');
  InsertLines(2);

  // Create a string and insert it into the document
  StrToAdd := 'Thank you for your recent request for next ' +
      'semester's class schedule for the Electrical ' +
      'Engineering Department.  Enclosed with this ' +
      'letter is a booklet containing all the classes ' +
      'offered next semester at State University.  ' +
      'Several new classes will be offered in the ' +
      'Electrical Engineering Department next semester.  ' +
      'These classes are listed below.';
  wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);

  InsertLines(2);

  // Insert a new table with 9 rows and 4 columns
  wrdDoc.Tables.Add(wrdSelection.Range,9,4);
  wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Columns.Item(1).SetWidth(51,wdAdjustNone);
  wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Columns.Item(2).SetWidth(170,wdAdjustNone);
  wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Columns.Item(3).SetWidth(100,wdAdjustNone);
  wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Columns.Item(4).SetWidth(111,wdAdjustNone);
  // Set the shading on the first row to light gray
  wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Rows.Item(1).Cells
      .Shading.BackgroundPatternColorIndex := wdGray25;
  // BOLD the first row
  wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Rows.Item(1).Range.Bold := True;
  // Center the text in Cell (1,1)
  wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(1,1).Range.Paragraphs.Alignment :=
        wdAlignParagraphCenter;

  // Fill each row of the table with data
  FillRow(wrdDoc, 1, 'Class Number', 'Class Name', 'Class Time', 
     'Instructor');
  FillRow(wrdDoc, 2, 'EE220', 'Introduction to Electronics II',
     '1:00-2:00 M,W,F', 'Dr. Jensen');
  FillRow(wrdDoc, 3, 'EE230', 'Electromagnetic Field Theory I',
     '10:00-11:30 T,T', 'Dr. Crump');
  FillRow(wrdDoc, 4, 'EE300', 'Feedback Control Systems',
     '9:00-10:00 M,W,F', 'Dr. Murdy');
  FillRow(wrdDoc, 5, 'EE325', 'Advanced Digital Design',
     '9:00-10:30 T,T', 'Dr. Alley');
  FillRow(wrdDoc, 6, 'EE350', 'Advanced Communication Systems',
     '9:00-10:30 T,T', 'Dr. Taylor');
  FillRow(wrdDoc, 7, 'EE400', 'Advanced Microwave Theory',
     '1:00-2:30 T,T', 'Dr. Lee');
  FillRow(wrdDoc, 8, 'EE450', 'Plasma Theory',
     '1:00-2:00 M,W,F', 'Dr. Davis');
  FillRow(wrdDoc, 9, 'EE500', 'Principles of VLSI Design',
     '3:00-4:00 M,W,F', 'Dr. Ellison');

  // Go to the end of the document
  wrdApp.Selection.GoTo(wdGotoLine,wdGoToLast);
  InsertLines(2);

  // Create a string and insert it into the document
  StrToAdd := 'For additional information regarding the ' +
             'Department of Electrical Engineering, ' +
             'you can visit our website at ';
  wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);
  // Insert a hyperlink to the web page
  wrdSelection.Hyperlinks.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'http://www.ee.stateu.tld');
  // Create a string and insert it into the document
  StrToAdd := '.  Thank you for your interest in the classes ' +
             'offered in the Department of Electrical ' +
             'Engineering.  If you have any other questions, ' +
             'please feel free to give us a call at ' +
             '555-1212.' + Chr(13) + Chr(13) +
             'Sincerely,' + Chr(13) + Chr(13) +
             'Kathryn M. Hinsch' + Chr(13) +
             'Department of Electrical Engineering' + Chr(13);
  wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);

  // Perform mail merge
  wrdMailMerge.Destination := wdSendToNewDocument;
  wrdMailMerge.Execute(False);

  // Close the original form document
  wrdDoc.Saved := True;
  wrdDoc.Close(False);

  // Notify the user we are done.
  ShowMessage('Mail Merge Complete.');

  // Clean up temp file
  DeleteFile('C:\DataDoc.doc');
end;

end.

Press the F9 key to run the project. Click the button and Microsoft Word should start and display a sample letter.

NOTE: Delphi is manufactured by Borland (Inprise Corporation), a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance of reliability. Contact Inprise for any developer support regarding the Delphi language.

REFERENCES

For more information on Office Automation, please visit the Microsoft Office Development support site at:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/officedev/

Keywords : kb3rdparty kbAutomation kbWord kbGrpDSO
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto