My web page -
http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm shows how to
obtain 5 and 9 digit zips using switches. remember that you have to use
CTRL+F9 for each pair of field boundaries and then update the field. I don't
see why removing the quotes should make any difference (though the fields
were all tested on Word 2003). However if it works for you then remove
them -
{ IF{ Mergefield Zip } "99999" "{ Mergefield Zip \# 00000'-'0000 }" "{
Mergefield Zip \# 00000 }" }
or if you want 9 digits for all
{ IF{ Mergefield Zip } "99999" "{ Mergefield Zip \# 00000'-'0000 }" "{
Mergefield Zip \# 00000 }-0000" }
I have just tested this again and it works either with or without the
quotes.
--
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
My web site
www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site
http://word.mvps.org
Cate wrote:
Suzanne! Removing those quotation marks seems to have done the trick
with the 5-digit zip codes!! Hurray, we're half-way there. I've
tried several variations on the 9-digit portion of the coding, but
get only five zeros to show. I can remove the 4-digit extensions,
but would much rather be able to solve this once and for all. I
really appreciate all your and Graham's help, as I'm sure others
will, too.
There are two ways to force Word to use the number formatting you
have applied in Excel. One is to use a formatting switch as
described by Graham. The other is to connect to Excel using DDE (the
old method) instead of OLEDB (the method introduced in Word 2002,
which preserves Unicode characters but not number formatting). To do
the latter, you'll need to check the box for "Confirm conversion at
Open" on the General tab of Tools | Options. After doing that,
reattach the data source to your mail merge main document. When you
do, you'll get a dialog asking you to choose the connection method,
and you can choose DDE.
Also, I notice that Graham's reply suggests "{ Mergefield Zip \#
"00000" }." If I have correctly read Word's Help topic "Numeric
Picture (\#) field switch," the quotes around the numeric picture
are unnecessary and perhaps incorrect (and may be part of the
problem).
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.
"Cate" wrote in message
...
Dear Suzanne & Graham,
Yes, I did actually use the heading specific to my Excel datasheet,
but for simplicity didn't include it in my last message to this
stream. My system seems to be refusing to recognize the switch.
Any ideas how to trick it into recognizing it? What is a DDE?
--
Cate
"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
The "\# 00000" is a formatting switch. In the example, you must
substitute for "Zip" whatever is the name of the field in your
database that contains the ZIP code. The alternative is to link to
the Excel file using DDE.
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.
"Cate" wrote in message
...
I have read the entire steam, carefully read your linked page,
and also checked & double checked my typing. I continue to get
an error message that the mergefield zip \# (the backslash
doesn't show, though) is not found in the header row of my
database. Everything stops at that point. --
Cate
"Graham Mayor" wrote:
The use of zip codes formatting switches is explained in detail
in my web page http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm
Essentially Word is expected to provide the formatting and will
strip leading zeros from numbers. You can use a number switch or
mask to restore that zero. At the place you want the zip code
press CTRL+F9. This will give you a pair of field brackets {}
Between the brackets type the required field data, presumably
{Mergefield Zip} then add the switch i.e.
{Mergefield Zip \# "00000"}. With the cursor in the field. Press
F9 to update. This should toggle the field display, but if it
doesn't ALT+F9 will.
If you need one of the more complicated formatting options, see
the web page for the content.
--
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
Merging Zip Code Errors wrote:
I am having the same problem as Suzanne. I FOLLOWED THE POSTED
DIRECTIONS! How about a detailed example?
"Graham Mayor" wrote:
Did you update the field after adding the switch?
--
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
Judy F. wrote:
yes I have viewed both website suggestions and followed both
advice, but it is not showing the "0"
"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
Did you look at the recommended Web page?
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to
the newsgroup so all may benefit.
"Judy F." wrote in message
...
I am also having the same problem.
I have changed the format to specialzip code when I merge,
I do not get the initial "0" in my zip code.
I change the format to text, and when I merge I only get
the "0" without the remaining digits in the zip code.
I entered the questioning zip codes with a ' prior to the 0
and when I merge only the "0" without the remaining digits
in the zip code show up.
Help?
"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
If you're using Word 2002 or 2003, see
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindy...002/MM2002.htm
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups
to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
"MarianneME" wrote
in message
...
I am merging addresses from Excel to Work and I lose zip
code formatting during the merge so that for all zip
codes that begin with a zreo, the zero is dropped. I
have never had this problem before, how can I fix this?
Thanks!