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#1
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how do I delete commas in a field when blank
I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data
is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#2
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If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark
the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#3
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I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When
merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#4
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Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between
fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#5
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*I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list.
I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#6
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To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is
to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#7
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Yes, now I have commas only where I want them. However, when there is
nothing in the database it puts a space. I guess I need another condition but unsure how to write it. Thanks. Haliburton "Graham Mayor" wrote: To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#8
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Another frustrating thing. I try and try to format the main document to
Times New Roman 10 and it seems to do it, but when I merge those fields are some other font. thanks, Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#9
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You don't need another condition, put the space, currently outside the
fields, inside the result along with the comma, so that you only get a space if there's a record entry. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Yes, now I have commas only where I want them. However, when there is nothing in the database it puts a space. I guess I need another condition but unsure how to write it. Thanks. Haliburton "Graham Mayor" wrote: To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#10
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Add a \*charformat switch (or change the \*mergeformat switch if present)
to the offending fields. eg {Mergefield fieldname \*charformat} this will cause the merge to adopt the formatting of the inserted field. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Another frustrating thing. I try and try to format the main document to Times New Roman 10 and it seems to do it, but when I merge those fields are some other font. thanks, Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#11
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Graham,
It is almost perfect but at the end of each of my directory lists there is a comma. Is there any script that will tell it that it is the end and no comma? Or should I take them out manually? thanks, J "Graham Mayor" wrote: Add a \*charformat switch (or change the \*mergeformat switch if present) to the offending fields. eg {Mergefield fieldname \*charformat} this will cause the merge to adopt the formatting of the inserted field. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Another frustrating thing. I try and try to format the main document to Times New Roman 10 and it seems to do it, but when I merge those fields are some other font. thanks, Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#12
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Assuming that you always have a first field then put the comma at the
beginning eg {Mergefield field1}{IF {Mergefield field2} "" ", {Mergefield field2}"} etc. If you don't always have a field1 then it will prove a little more fiddly. I would need to know what fields you have. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Graham, It is almost perfect but at the end of each of my directory lists there is a comma. Is there any script that will tell it that it is the end and no comma? Or should I take them out manually? thanks, J "Graham Mayor" wrote: Add a \*charformat switch (or change the \*mergeformat switch if present) to the offending fields. eg {Mergefield fieldname \*charformat} this will cause the merge to adopt the formatting of the inserted field. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Another frustrating thing. I try and try to format the main document to Times New Roman 10 and it seems to do it, but when I merge those fields are some other font. thanks, Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#13
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HI Graham,
I am afraid that everyone isn't listing in the first field. The fields are lists of what type of writing we do and so everyone is different. So the list is sometimes short, even non-existent, and sometimes long. I have a subheading "Interests", then the list proceeds. I can manually delete all the commas at the end of each person but I have 260 entries. "Graham Mayor" wrote: Assuming that you always have a first field then put the comma at the beginning eg {Mergefield field1}{IF {Mergefield field2} "" ", {Mergefield field2}"} etc. If you don't always have a field1 then it will prove a little more fiddly. I would need to know what fields you have. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Graham, It is almost perfect but at the end of each of my directory lists there is a comma. Is there any script that will tell it that it is the end and no comma? Or should I take them out manually? thanks, J "Graham Mayor" wrote: Add a \*charformat switch (or change the \*mergeformat switch if present) to the offending fields. eg {Mergefield fieldname \*charformat} this will cause the merge to adopt the formatting of the inserted field. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Another frustrating thing. I try and try to format the main document to Times New Roman 10 and it seems to do it, but when I merge those fields are some other font. thanks, Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#14
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I suspect that it will be more complicated to not place the commas than to
remove them later. Merge to a new document. If the list for each record ends with a paragraph mark then use replace to replace ,^p with ^p (or use the macro) Sub LoseTheCommas() Selection.HomeKey Unit:=wdStory Selection.Find.ClearFormatting Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting With Selection.Find .Text = ",^13" .Replacement.Text = "^p" .Forward = True .Wrap = wdFindContinue .Format = False .MatchCase = False .MatchWholeWord = False .MatchWildcards = False .MatchSoundsLike = False .MatchAllWordForms = False End With Selection.Find.Execute replace:=wdReplaceAll End Sub -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: HI Graham, I am afraid that everyone isn't listing in the first field. The fields are lists of what type of writing we do and so everyone is different. So the list is sometimes short, even non-existent, and sometimes long. I have a subheading "Interests", then the list proceeds. I can manually delete all the commas at the end of each person but I have 260 entries. "Graham Mayor" wrote: Assuming that you always have a first field then put the comma at the beginning eg {Mergefield field1}{IF {Mergefield field2} "" ", {Mergefield field2}"} etc. If you don't always have a field1 then it will prove a little more fiddly. I would need to know what fields you have. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Graham, It is almost perfect but at the end of each of my directory lists there is a comma. Is there any script that will tell it that it is the end and no comma? Or should I take them out manually? thanks, J "Graham Mayor" wrote: Add a \*charformat switch (or change the \*mergeformat switch if present) to the offending fields. eg {Mergefield fieldname \*charformat} this will cause the merge to adopt the formatting of the inserted field. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Another frustrating thing. I try and try to format the main document to Times New Roman 10 and it seems to do it, but when I merge those fields are some other font. thanks, Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#15
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I am sorry but this message made no sense to me at all. What is a paragraph
mark? And when do I use the macro (I assume that is that big long complicated script below in your message)? And I actually do all this once it has merged all the files into a new document? Or do I do it in the setup? J "Graham Mayor" wrote: I suspect that it will be more complicated to not place the commas than to remove them later. Merge to a new document. If the list for each record ends with a paragraph mark then use replace to replace ,^p with ^p (or use the macro) Sub LoseTheCommas() Selection.HomeKey Unit:=wdStory Selection.Find.ClearFormatting Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting With Selection.Find .Text = ",^13" .Replacement.Text = "^p" .Forward = True .Wrap = wdFindContinue .Format = False .MatchCase = False .MatchWholeWord = False .MatchWildcards = False .MatchSoundsLike = False .MatchAllWordForms = False End With Selection.Find.Execute replace:=wdReplaceAll End Sub -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: HI Graham, I am afraid that everyone isn't listing in the first field. The fields are lists of what type of writing we do and so everyone is different. So the list is sometimes short, even non-existent, and sometimes long. I have a subheading "Interests", then the list proceeds. I can manually delete all the commas at the end of each person but I have 260 entries. "Graham Mayor" wrote: Assuming that you always have a first field then put the comma at the beginning eg {Mergefield field1}{IF {Mergefield field2} "" ", {Mergefield field2}"} etc. If you don't always have a field1 then it will prove a little more fiddly. I would need to know what fields you have. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Graham, It is almost perfect but at the end of each of my directory lists there is a comma. Is there any script that will tell it that it is the end and no comma? Or should I take them out manually? thanks, J "Graham Mayor" wrote: Add a \*charformat switch (or change the \*mergeformat switch if present) to the offending fields. eg {Mergefield fieldname \*charformat} this will cause the merge to adopt the formatting of the inserted field. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: Another frustrating thing. I try and try to format the main document to Times New Roman 10 and it seems to do it, but when I merge those fields are some other font. thanks, Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: To create a conditional (IF) statement in mail merge, the simplest method is to insert it from the keyboard directly. For this you need to know the names of the fields and that CTRL+F9 inserts field boundaries {}. The construction is then similar to {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"} What this means is that if the content of the field called field1 (substitute your own field name) is not equal to nothing then insert the bits between the speech marks ie the contents of the field and the comma following it. ie {IF {Mergefield Fieldname} "" "enter this" "otherwise enter this"} Having entered the fields select them and press F9 to update them, then if necessary ALT+F9 to tooggle the display to show the result. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: *I* have introduced it between fields as I want it to look like a list. I will try to make an "if" statement, but what is the condition. Do I just put an "if" merge field 1 then merge field 1, I am sorry but WORD confuses me in its insert word field. Is that where I find the "if" statement. If so, which one? thanks, "Graham Mayor" wrote: Yes, but is the comma in the data or have *you* introduced it between fields? eg {Mergefield field1},{Mergefield Field2}, etc If the latter, then you need a set of conditional fields eg {IF {Mergefield Field1} "" "{Mergefield Field1},"}{IF {Mergefield Field2} "" "{Mergefield Field2},"} etc ie you conditionally place the field and the comma if the field is not empty. If it is empty nothing is inserted. If the former then you need to trap whatever an 'empty' field produces in a similar manner. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am making a directory. Some of the fields in my database are blank. When merging them the comma stays between each entry so the blank ones show as a comma each time. Jan "Graham Mayor" wrote: If this is a data file, you would expect the commas to be present. They mark the fields. If they are in the merged document, where are they coming from? -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org haliburton girl wrote: I am trying to make a directory. I have the fields listed but when the data is put in, the commas remain for blank fields. It looks like this teaching,,,,,writing,speech, |
#16
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haliburton girl wrote:
I am sorry but this message made no sense to me at all. What is a paragraph mark? And when do I use the macro (I assume that is that big long complicated script below in your message)? And I actually do all this once it has merged all the files into a new document? Or do I do it in the setup? J "Graham Mayor" wrote: A paragraph mark is what ends a paragraph - ie if you click ¶ on the toolbar (or CTRL+*) you can display the formatting (repeat the commnad to change it back again) If your list looks like mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ Then the replace function will work (the macro simply runs the same replace function) http://www.gmayor.com/installing_macro.htm Merge to a new document and run the replace on that document. ie replace ,^p with ^p If there is a space between , and ¶ then replace , ^p with ^p -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org |
#17
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I think I will just do as you said and take the commas out by hand.
thanks for all your help J "Graham Mayor" wrote: haliburton girl wrote: I am sorry but this message made no sense to me at all. What is a paragraph mark? And when do I use the macro (I assume that is that big long complicated script below in your message)? And I actually do all this once it has merged all the files into a new document? Or do I do it in the setup? J "Graham Mayor" wrote: A paragraph mark is what ends a paragraph - ie if you click ¶ on the toolbar (or CTRL+*) you can display the formatting (repeat the commnad to change it back again) If your list looks like mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn,¶ mmmmm, nnnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn, nnnnnnnn,¶ Then the replace function will work (the macro simply runs the same replace function) http://www.gmayor.com/installing_macro.htm Merge to a new document and run the replace on that document. ie replace ,^p with ^p If there is a space between , and ¶ then replace , ^p with ^p -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org |
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