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#1
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data source opened exclusively when using mail merge?
Case: an excel file is currently in use as data source (mail merge with
a Word 2003 document). Question: is it normal that the excel file can not be opened in excel (i.e. for altering data) at the same time by the same or another user? |
#2
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Yes, this is how it works. I've put a button on my merge toolbar that locks
all the merge fields. It could also change the document to a regular Word document (non-merge) so as to close out the data file I suppose. (I have a separate button that converts non-merge documents into merge documents, attaches my data file, and brings up a dialog to select a data file.) -- Charles Kenyon Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome! --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn from my ignorance and your wisdom. wrote in message oups.com... Case: an excel file is currently in use as data source (mail merge with a Word 2003 document). Question: is it normal that the excel file can not be opened in excel (i.e. for altering data) at the same time by the same or another user? |
#3
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Ok, clear on that. Thanks for the answer. I already thought though that
this was the way it works but some "mail merge" users in my company claim that opening an excel file, when in use for a mail merge, was not a problem in the past (using former versions of Office and the DDE-method). Are they kidding me? |
#4
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. com Newsgroups: microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields NNTP-Posting-Host: 92.163.79.83.cust.bluewin.ch 83.79.163.92 Path: TK2MSFTNGP08.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl Lines: 1 Xref: TK2MSFTNGP08.phx.gbl microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields:54502 Ok, clear on that. Thanks for the answer. I already thought though that this was the way it works but some "mail merge" users in my company claim that opening an excel file, when in use for a mail merge, was not a problem in the past (using former versions of Office and the DDE-method). Are they kidding me? No, they're correct. It's a function of how Word is connecting. You can always go back to using DDE instead of OLE DB (the new default), as long as your installation supports it. (Some simply can't work with the DDE anymore, but it's a lottery.) You'll find instructions on how to change connection methods in the Word 2002/2003 section of my website's mail merge FAQ. Cindy Meister INTER-Solutions, Switzerland http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004) http://www.word.mvps.org This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-) |
#5
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Cindy,
I already tried to switch back to DDE but Word 2003 keeps giving me an error about not being able to (re)establish a DDE-connection. Is this solvable? Or is this the lottery you are talking about? Some Office 2003 installations can work with DDE again and some can not . . . Marc |
#6
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Problem seems to be solved!
I had to open a new excelfile and import the data from the 'old' excelfile. Connecting to the new excel file via DDE did not give any problems and the new excelfile can be opened seperately. Marc |
#7
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I had to open a new excelfile and import the data from the 'old'
excelfile. Connecting to the new excel file via DDE did not give any problems and the new excelfile can be opened seperately. aha! Damaged Excel file. Have to remember that for another time... Thanks for updating us :-) Cindy Meister |
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