WD2000: Error Message: "C:\\~_virtual_file_~~~.olk Is Being Used by Unknown"

ID: Q241269

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word 2000

SYMPTOMS

When you open a mail merge main document or template, the following error message may appear:

C:\~~\~~~_virtual_file_~~~.olk is being used by Unknown. Do you want to make a copy?

If you click either Yes or No, the following error message appears:

<Filename.dot> is a mail merge main document. Word cannot find its data source, ~~~_virtual_file_~~~.olk.

where <Filename.dot> is the name of the file you attempted to open. If you try to close the dialog box by clicking the X in the top right corner, the following error message appears:

The document name or path is not valid. Try these suggestions.

* Check the file permissions for the document or drive.
* Use the File Open dialog box to locate the document. (C:\Windows\...Templates\filename.dot).

CAUSE

The Outlook Address Book file (~~~_virtual_file_~~~.olk) is a temporary file that is active during the mail merge process. When you close Word, the temporary file is also closed. Therefore, when you open the mail merge main document, Word cannot find the *.olk file and displays the error message.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

When you receive the first error message described in the "Symptoms" section of this article, click No.

When you receive the second error message, click Options.

Click Remove Data/Header Source.

The template is now no longer associated with the data source. To reattach the data source, follow these steps:

With the document open, click Mail Merge on the Tools menu.

In the Mail Merge Helper, click Get Data, click Use Address Book, select Outlook Address Book, and then click OK.

This creates a new virtual file, based on the current contact list information.

NOTE: You need to repeat these steps each time that you restart Word and open the mail merge main document attached to this data source.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about this error message, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q189196 WD2000: Mail Merge Main Document Cannot Find Data Source

Additional query words: print merge merging temp file tilde characters tild