[JohnH]

Word/Excel 2000
I have a word merge and an excel datafile. Even though I select don't print
blank lines when data fields are empty, the blank field still prints.. The
excel file is a simple table of name, titles, addresses. I tried manually
blanking out fields that had data and they also print when I delete the data.

Thanks
John

[lizz1007]

I am having the same problem. Where did you select "Don't print blank lines
when data fields are empty"? That may work for me.

Here's what didn't work for me, but might for you:

Use and If...then...Else field that test for data in the field. For the
result of the true condition, have it insert that field and a carriage
return and then the next field; for the result of the negative condition,
have it insert just the next field

{ IF { MERGEFIELD fieldthatmightbeblank } "" "{ MERGEFIELD
fieldthatmightbeblank }[CarriageRetrun]
{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" "{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" }

You must use Ctrl+F9 to insert each pair of field delimiters. In place of
[CarriageReturn] press Enter (or Shift+Enter)

Use Alt+F9 to toggle off the display of the field codes.



"JohnH" wrote:

Word/Excel 2000
I have a word merge and an excel datafile. Even though I select don't print
blank lines when data fields are empty, the blank field still prints.. The
excel file is a simple table of name, titles, addresses. I tried manually
blanking out fields that had data and they also print when I delete the data.

Thanks
John

[Peter Jamieson]

In Word 2002/2003, you can do the following to get at that option:
a. go into Tools|Customize|Commands, select category All Commands, then
locate MailMergeHelper in the list of commands on theright, and drag it to a
menu/toolbar.
b. When you click on the MailMergehelper button (which is the old WOrd 2000
mail merge "wizard", go into option 3, "Merge..." and you will see the
option you are looking for

QAlternatively, you can set up a macro to do it.

In Word 2002/2003, the option is selected by default for new mail merge main
documents. But this feature works in a way that can seem odd:
a. in Word 2002/2003 (or at least, some revisions), blank lines that result
from fields nested in other fields such as IF or INCLUDETEXT fields are not
suppressed. That's different from Word 97/2000
b. To be suppressed, a line needs to be blank, and it also needs to have an
unnested { MERGEFIELD } field that is blank. For example, a line such as

{ IF "{ MERGEFIELD myfield }" = "" "" "{ MERGEFIELD myfield }" }

will not be suppressed even if myfield is blank.

There are probably other subtleties but that's probably enough for most
users...

Peter Jamieson



"lizz1007" wrote in message
...
I am having the same problem. Where did you select "Don't print blank lines
when data fields are empty"? That may work for me.

Here's what didn't work for me, but might for you:

Use and If...then...Else field that test for data in the field. For the
result of the true condition, have it insert that field and a carriage
return and then the next field; for the result of the negative condition,
have it insert just the next field

{ IF { MERGEFIELD fieldthatmightbeblank } "" "{ MERGEFIELD
fieldthatmightbeblank }[CarriageRetrun]
{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" "{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" }

You must use Ctrl+F9 to insert each pair of field delimiters. In place of
[CarriageReturn] press Enter (or Shift+Enter)

Use Alt+F9 to toggle off the display of the field codes.



"JohnH" wrote:

Word/Excel 2000
I have a word merge and an excel datafile. Even though I select don't
print
blank lines when data fields are empty, the blank field still prints..
The
excel file is a simple table of name, titles, addresses. I tried manually
blanking out fields that had data and they also print when I delete the
data.

Thanks
John

[JohnH]

I get to the Don't print ....right from the merge toolbar menu option. From
the Merge option I can select
Merge To - New doc or print
Records to Merge all or range
Radio Button to Don'tPrint/Print blank fields - this is what is not working.
I can alos do queries and such but never use that.

Thanks
John


"lizz1007" wrote:

I am having the same problem. Where did you select "Don't print blank lines
when data fields are empty"? That may work for me.

Here's what didn't work for me, but might for you:

Use and If...then...Else field that test for data in the field. For the
result of the true condition, have it insert that field and a carriage
return and then the next field; for the result of the negative condition,
have it insert just the next field

{ IF { MERGEFIELD fieldthatmightbeblank } "" "{ MERGEFIELD
fieldthatmightbeblank }[CarriageRetrun]
{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" "{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" }

You must use Ctrl+F9 to insert each pair of field delimiters. In place of
[CarriageReturn] press Enter (or Shift+Enter)

Use Alt+F9 to toggle off the display of the field codes.



"JohnH" wrote:

Word/Excel 2000
I have a word merge and an excel datafile. Even though I select don't print
blank lines when data fields are empty, the blank field still prints.. The
excel file is a simple table of name, titles, addresses. I tried manually
blanking out fields that had data and they also print when I delete the data.

Thanks
John

[JohnH]

Peter, I have no problem geeting to the helper. Thats where I set the don't
print blanks. It's just that it's not working. I select the Radio button that
says don't print field when blank. It simply ignors that opton. If the field
is blank it prints a blank line even though I have selected don't print if
blank. I'll try the macro but unfortunatly I have to send the merge form file
to someone else via email and we all know that even Microsoft will block a
micorsoft file with a microsoft macro in it.

Thanks
John

"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

In Word 2002/2003, you can do the following to get at that option:
a. go into Tools|Customize|Commands, select category All Commands, then
locate MailMergeHelper in the list of commands on theright, and drag it to a
menu/toolbar.
b. When you click on the MailMergehelper button (which is the old WOrd 2000
mail merge "wizard", go into option 3, "Merge..." and you will see the
option you are looking for

QAlternatively, you can set up a macro to do it.

In Word 2002/2003, the option is selected by default for new mail merge main
documents. But this feature works in a way that can seem odd:
a. in Word 2002/2003 (or at least, some revisions), blank lines that result
from fields nested in other fields such as IF or INCLUDETEXT fields are not
suppressed. That's different from Word 97/2000
b. To be suppressed, a line needs to be blank, and it also needs to have an
unnested { MERGEFIELD } field that is blank. For example, a line such as

{ IF "{ MERGEFIELD myfield }" = "" "" "{ MERGEFIELD myfield }" }

will not be suppressed even if myfield is blank.

There are probably other subtleties but that's probably enough for most
users...

Peter Jamieson



"lizz1007" wrote in message
...
I am having the same problem. Where did you select "Don't print blank lines
when data fields are empty"? That may work for me.

Here's what didn't work for me, but might for you:

Use and If...then...Else field that test for data in the field. For the
result of the true condition, have it insert that field and a carriage
return and then the next field; for the result of the negative condition,
have it insert just the next field

{ IF { MERGEFIELD fieldthatmightbeblank } "" "{ MERGEFIELD
fieldthatmightbeblank }[CarriageRetrun]
{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" "{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" }

You must use Ctrl+F9 to insert each pair of field delimiters. In place of
[CarriageReturn] press Enter (or Shift+Enter)

Use Alt+F9 to toggle off the display of the field codes.



"JohnH" wrote:

Word/Excel 2000
I have a word merge and an excel datafile. Even though I select don't
print
blank lines when data fields are empty, the blank field still prints..
The
excel file is a simple table of name, titles, addresses. I tried manually
blanking out fields that had data and they also print when I delete the
data.

Thanks
John

[JohnH]

Peter,
How do I get the If statment into the merge form? When I cut and paste then
delete you demo field for my filed picking it from the merge filed list, I
only get the literal text of the IF statement to appear in the merged
document.

Thanks
John


"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

In Word 2002/2003, you can do the following to get at that option:
a. go into Tools|Customize|Commands, select category All Commands, then
locate MailMergeHelper in the list of commands on theright, and drag it to a
menu/toolbar.
b. When you click on the MailMergehelper button (which is the old WOrd 2000
mail merge "wizard", go into option 3, "Merge..." and you will see the
option you are looking for

QAlternatively, you can set up a macro to do it.

In Word 2002/2003, the option is selected by default for new mail merge main
documents. But this feature works in a way that can seem odd:
a. in Word 2002/2003 (or at least, some revisions), blank lines that result
from fields nested in other fields such as IF or INCLUDETEXT fields are not
suppressed. That's different from Word 97/2000
b. To be suppressed, a line needs to be blank, and it also needs to have an
unnested { MERGEFIELD } field that is blank. For example, a line such as

{ IF "{ MERGEFIELD myfield }" = "" "" "{ MERGEFIELD myfield }" }

will not be suppressed even if myfield is blank.

There are probably other subtleties but that's probably enough for most
users...

Peter Jamieson



"lizz1007" wrote in message
...
I am having the same problem. Where did you select "Don't print blank lines
when data fields are empty"? That may work for me.

Here's what didn't work for me, but might for you:

Use and If...then...Else field that test for data in the field. For the
result of the true condition, have it insert that field and a carriage
return and then the next field; for the result of the negative condition,
have it insert just the next field

{ IF { MERGEFIELD fieldthatmightbeblank } "" "{ MERGEFIELD
fieldthatmightbeblank }[CarriageRetrun]
{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" "{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" }

You must use Ctrl+F9 to insert each pair of field delimiters. In place of
[CarriageReturn] press Enter (or Shift+Enter)

Use Alt+F9 to toggle off the display of the field codes.



"JohnH" wrote:

Word/Excel 2000
I have a word merge and an excel datafile. Even though I select don't
print
blank lines when data fields are empty, the blank field still prints..
The
excel file is a simple table of name, titles, addresses. I tried manually
blanking out fields that had data and they also print when I delete the
data.

Thanks
John

[Graham Mayor]

Use CTRL+F9 for each pair of field brackets {} and type the rest.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org


JohnH wrote:
Peter,
How do I get the If statment into the merge form? When I cut and
paste then delete you demo field for my filed picking it from the
merge filed list, I only get the literal text of the IF statement to
appear in the merged document.

Thanks
John


"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

In Word 2002/2003, you can do the following to get at that option:
a. go into Tools|Customize|Commands, select category All Commands,
then locate MailMergeHelper in the list of commands on theright, and
drag it to a menu/toolbar.
b. When you click on the MailMergehelper button (which is the old
WOrd 2000 mail merge "wizard", go into option 3, "Merge..." and you
will see the option you are looking for

QAlternatively, you can set up a macro to do it.

In Word 2002/2003, the option is selected by default for new mail
merge main documents. But this feature works in a way that can seem
odd: a. in Word 2002/2003 (or at least, some revisions), blank
lines that result from fields nested in other fields such as IF or
INCLUDETEXT fields are not suppressed. That's different from Word
97/2000 b. To be suppressed, a line needs to be blank, and it also
needs to have an unnested { MERGEFIELD } field that is blank. For
example, a line such as

{ IF "{ MERGEFIELD myfield }" = "" "" "{ MERGEFIELD myfield }" }

will not be suppressed even if myfield is blank.

There are probably other subtleties but that's probably enough for
most users...

Peter Jamieson



"lizz1007" wrote in message
...
I am having the same problem. Where did you select "Don't print
blank lines when data fields are empty"? That may work for me.

Here's what didn't work for me, but might for you:

Use and If...then...Else field that test for data in the field.
For the result of the true condition, have it insert that field and
a carriage return and then the next field; for the result of the
negative condition, have it insert just the next field

{ IF { MERGEFIELD fieldthatmightbeblank } "" "{ MERGEFIELD
fieldthatmightbeblank }[CarriageRetrun]
{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" "{ MERGEFIELD nextfield }" }

You must use Ctrl+F9 to insert each pair of field delimiters. In
place of [CarriageReturn] press Enter (or Shift+Enter)

Use Alt+F9 to toggle off the display of the field codes.



"JohnH" wrote:

Word/Excel 2000
I have a word merge and an excel datafile. Even though I select
don't print
blank lines when data fields are empty, the blank field still
prints.. The
excel file is a simple table of name, titles, addresses. I tried
manually blanking out fields that had data and they also print
when I delete the data.

Thanks
John

[JohnH]

Thanks All,
I'm not sure what was in the original merge that caused the problem but I
simply deleted all the merge fields then re-selected them and all is well. I
compaired a old version that still does not weok to a new version that does
and I can't see any visible difference in the merge fields? All I know is
one works the other does not? I did't need any of the IF stuff.

This is what my merge looks like

«O_FIRST» «O_MIDDLE»«O_LAST»
«O_TITLE»
«O_OWNER»
«O_CITY», «O_STATE» «O_ZIPCODE» «O_ZIP4»

It was the title field that was still printing when blank.

No clue what was different.

---The actual merge fields above have the brackets and merge stuff. It just
doesnt copy and past correctly in here?

Thanks Again
John





"JohnH" wrote:

Word/Excel 2000
I have a word merge and an excel datafile. Even though I select don't print
blank lines when data fields are empty, the blank field still prints.. The
excel file is a simple table of name, titles, addresses. I tried manually
blanking out fields that had data and they also print when I delete the data.

Thanks
John

[Peter Jamieson]

Hi John,

Sorry, was away for a few days.

graham's expalined about the ctrl-F9 for the "special field braces". The
thing is that they are special characters used by Word and if you try to
cut/paste them into a newsgroup message, those characters will not appear as
you might hope and nothing in the cut/paste process will substitute
"ordinary" { and } characters. There are macros that can help in this area
(I expect graham's site has some) but I don't have them to hand right now...

As for the original problem, I have no idea what was wrong either - but glad
it seems to have been fixed.

Peter Jamieson
"JohnH" wrote in message
...
Thanks All,
I'm not sure what was in the original merge that caused the problem but I
simply deleted all the merge fields then re-selected them and all is well.
I
compaired a old version that still does not weok to a new version that
does
and I can't see any visible difference in the merge fields? All I know is
one works the other does not? I did't need any of the IF stuff.

This is what my merge looks like

«O_FIRST» «O_MIDDLE»«O_LAST»
«O_TITLE»
«O_OWNER»
«O_CITY», «O_STATE» «O_ZIPCODE» «O_ZIP4»

It was the title field that was still printing when blank.

No clue what was different.

---The actual merge fields above have the brackets and merge stuff. It
just
doesnt copy and past correctly in here?

Thanks Again
John





"JohnH" wrote:

Word/Excel 2000
I have a word merge and an excel datafile. Even though I select don't
print
blank lines when data fields are empty, the blank field still prints..
The
excel file is a simple table of name, titles, addresses. I tried manually
blanking out fields that had data and they also print when I delete the
data.

Thanks
John