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#1
Posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
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How contact Microsoft to tell them of NEXTIF problem?
Dear folks in the mailmerge group:
For 2+ months I have been scanning this group, the Microsoft bulletin boards, Google, etc and have been unable to get my NEXTIF problem resolved, or even find anyone else that has experienced it. I would like to submit this to Microsoft to at least let them know that a formerly useful, even necessary feature of mailmerge no longer works in versions of Word beyhond Word 2000. My main question to this newsgroup is, how do I do this? I have struggled with the Microsoft web site and have found no way of penetrating their shield. Up to and including Word 2000, I can test my data file (produced by Access) to see if there is yet another record that has to be displayed in my merged letter. I use the NEXT_RECORD_IF test, and if there is a next record, the pointer bumps to it and puts the record in my letter. If not, it finishes the letter and then goes on to the next letter. And, Access is working just fine. The problem I am having is with Word, not Access. This works just fine with Word 2000. But in later versions, namely Word 2002, 2003, and 2007, tested on five computers, the pointer does indeed bump to the next record, but after correctly finishing my letter, the pointer is bumped back to the record following the first record, and I get another letter addressed to the first recipient. That is, the pointer has been bumped only one place, as if all the NEXT_RECORD commands never happened. My "solution" has been to install Word 2000 on all computers in which this test must work properly. Word 2000 resides along with whatever later version they had, and when my letters must get generated, I have instructed the users to use Word 2000. Not an elegant solution, but it does work. I've already posted this problem. Peter Jamieson in England was most helpful in making suggestions, and he even used my files on his computer and he states that it DID work with Word 2002. Maybe a different version of Word is sold in England. Anyway, I am asking this group for a method to tell someone in Microsoft that there is a problem with Word. How do I do this? Thanks. Pete Brady |
#2
Posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
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How contact Microsoft to tell them of NEXTIF problem?
You could send an email message to . However, being
realistic, it would take thousands of people to indicate that they had the same problem for something to be likely to be done about it. As your data is in Access, I would use a report in Access to create the letters. You group the data on the individual and put their address details and any standard introductory wording in a group header, the schedule for them in the detail section of the report and any standard ending wording in the group footer. There are other ways as well, see http://cornell.veplan.net/article.aspx?&a=3815, but I would suggest that Access is the best way to do it. And if Peter Jamieson says it works in Word XP, then I would believe him and there would be no difference between the version of Word that he might be using in the UK and any other English Version that would affect the behviour. -- Hope this helps. Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my services on a paid consulting basis. Doug Robbins - Word MVP "Paul Brady" wrote in message ... Dear folks in the mailmerge group: For 2+ months I have been scanning this group, the Microsoft bulletin boards, Google, etc and have been unable to get my NEXTIF problem resolved, or even find anyone else that has experienced it. I would like to submit this to Microsoft to at least let them know that a formerly useful, even necessary feature of mailmerge no longer works in versions of Word beyhond Word 2000. My main question to this newsgroup is, how do I do this? I have struggled with the Microsoft web site and have found no way of penetrating their shield. Up to and including Word 2000, I can test my data file (produced by Access) to see if there is yet another record that has to be displayed in my merged letter. I use the NEXT_RECORD_IF test, and if there is a next record, the pointer bumps to it and puts the record in my letter. If not, it finishes the letter and then goes on to the next letter. And, Access is working just fine. The problem I am having is with Word, not Access. This works just fine with Word 2000. But in later versions, namely Word 2002, 2003, and 2007, tested on five computers, the pointer does indeed bump to the next record, but after correctly finishing my letter, the pointer is bumped back to the record following the first record, and I get another letter addressed to the first recipient. That is, the pointer has been bumped only one place, as if all the NEXT_RECORD commands never happened. My "solution" has been to install Word 2000 on all computers in which this test must work properly. Word 2000 resides along with whatever later version they had, and when my letters must get generated, I have instructed the users to use Word 2000. Not an elegant solution, but it does work. I've already posted this problem. Peter Jamieson in England was most helpful in making suggestions, and he even used my files on his computer and he states that it DID work with Word 2002. Maybe a different version of Word is sold in England. Anyway, I am asking this group for a method to tell someone in Microsoft that there is a problem with Word. How do I do this? Thanks. Pete Brady |
#3
Posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
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How contact Microsoft to tell them of NEXTIF problem?
Hi Paul/Pete,
I see where Peter asked for you to send the file back in Feb, and your postings of the mergefield and sample data lines, but that was the last entry set I see in those threads. Do you have a link where you can post a sample data file and merge letter that shows this happening? What version of Access is used to create the merge letter and the data file when you're not working with Word 2000? (you mentioned Word 2003 and Word 2007) and the steps you're using, especially in 2007. ============== "Paul Brady" wrote in message ... Dear folks in the mailmerge group: For 2+ months I have been scanning this group, the Microsoft bulletin boards, Google, etc and have been unable to get my NEXTIF problem resolved, or even find anyone else that has experienced it. I would like to submit this to Microsoft to at least let them know that a formerly useful, even necessary feature of mailmerge no longer works in versions of Word beyhond Word 2000. My main question to this newsgroup is, how do I do this? I have struggled with the Microsoft web site and have found no way of penetrating their shield. Up to and including Word 2000, I can test my data file (produced by Access) to see if there is yet another record that has to be displayed in my merged letter. I use the NEXT_RECORD_IF test, and if there is a next record, the pointer bumps to it and puts the record in my letter. If not, it finishes the letter and then goes on to the next letter. And, Access is working just fine. The problem I am having is with Word, not Access. This works just fine with Word 2000. But in later versions, namely Word 2002, 2003, and 2007, tested on five computers, the pointer does indeed bump to the next record, but after correctly finishing my letter, the pointer is bumped back to the record following the first record, and I get another letter addressed to the first recipient. That is, the pointer has been bumped only one place, as if all the NEXT_RECORD commands never happened. My "solution" has been to install Word 2000 on all computers in which this test must work properly. Word 2000 resides along with whatever later version they had, and when my letters must get generated, I have instructed the users to use Word 2000. Not an elegant solution, but it does work. I've already posted this problem. Peter Jamieson in England was most helpful in making suggestions, and he even used my files on his computer and he states that it DID work with Word 2002. Maybe a different version of Word is sold in England. Anyway, I am asking this group for a method to tell someone in Microsoft that there is a problem with Word. How do I do this? Thanks. Pete Brady -- Bob Buckland ?:-) MS Office System Products MVP *Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends* |
#4
Posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
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How contact Microsoft to tell them of NEXTIF problem?
On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:25:48 -0700, "Bob Buckland ?:-\)"
75214.226(At Beautiful Downtown)compuserve.com wrote: I see where Peter asked for you to send the file back in Feb, and your postings of the mergefield and sample data lines, but that was the last entry set I see in those threads. Do you have a link where you can post a sample data file and merge letter that shows this happening? Bob Buckland: If you send me an email address, I will send you the data file produced by Access 2000, and the Word file produced by Word 2000 that correctly reads the data file and produces merged letters. Thanks. Pete Brady |
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