Access to Word Mail Merge; symbols change to question marks

[Rob S.]

Hello,

I have an access database in which I store a bunch of science terms and
definitons. Increasingly, I find that my definitions require symbols (ex:
delta, gamma, sigma, etc. I merge the database with Word to make flashcards.

Note:
(1) I've been using Arial font.
(2) When inputting the symbols, I don't just change that character to the
"symbol font." I use the character map.

The Problem: When I merge the database to Word, the characters appear as
question marks.

Could anyone tell me if there is a solution out there?

Thanks

 

[Peter Jamieson]

My guess is that you are using Word 2000 or earlier, since this should work
in Word 2002 or 2003 as long as Word is connecting to Access using OLEDB.

As far as I know, there is no way to get these characters through in Word
2000 - neither of the
connection methods supported in Word 2000 (DDE and ODBC) lets them
through, despite the fact that both applications are
Unicode-enabled in other areas. What probably will work is the following:
a. open the table (or query results) you are using as your data source in
Access, in the plain "spreadsheet view"
b. Select the entire table (click on the top left corner
c. Edit|Copy
d. Open a new blank Word document
e. Edit|Paste (or if there are more than the maximum number of columns,
Edit|Paste Special and use "Unformatted Unicode text"
f. close the Word document and use it as your data source for the merge.

Peter Jamieson