DDE won't function in Mailmerge (Word 2003 & Access 2000)

[Richard]

I've recently upgraded(?) to Word 2003 from 2000 and want
to mailmerge from parameterised queries in an Access 2000
db. ODBC won't allow this, nor will it pick up tables
linked to a back-end db. I've followed the Knowledge Base
instructions for invoking DDE but Word simply refuses to
open a DDE connection. I've tried re-booting and opening
Access first, as suggested in KB, all to no avail. This
all worked so well in Word 2000. I've also tried the MS
Query route, but that doesn't seem to allow parameters
either!

Can anybody help?

Richard

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Richard,

As long as you're using Access 2000 you won't be able to use
parameter queries, as a mail merge DDE connection is
version-specific. You'd have to have the data in Access
2003.

The only solution I see, given this combination, would be to
build the query interface into Word: Have Word display an
Inputbox or UserForm to get the criteria, then either
- change the QueryDef using DAO before attaching the data
source
- apply the criteria to the data that's been linked into
Word by setting the QueryString property

I've recently upgraded(?) to Word 2003 from 2000 and want
to mailmerge from parameterised queries in an Access 2000
db. ODBC won't allow this, nor will it pick up tables
linked to a back-end db. I've followed the Knowledge Base
instructions for invoking DDE but Word simply refuses to
open a DDE connection. I've tried re-booting and opening
Access first, as suggested in KB, all to no avail. This
all worked so well in Word 2000. I've also tried the MS
Query route, but that doesn't seem to allow parameters
either!

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep
30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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[Richard]

Thanks Cindy

It might be simpler to revert to Word 2000, although
somehow that goes against the grain! Guess I'll just
have to get to grips with VBA for Word - the Access end
is no problem. Which of your routes is the easier do you
think?

Cheers

richard

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Richard,

It might be simpler to revert to Word 2000

Why not upgrade to Access 2003?

Guess I'll just
have to get to grips with VBA for Word - the Access end
is no problem. Which of your routes is the easier do you
think?

Oh, I'd definitely say change the QueryDef. Word's
QueryString is limited to a max of 255 characters, which
can definitely cause problems! And since you're comfortable
with Access VBA that will make your learning curve much
flatter You really won't need to learn much, except

1. that the procedure in which you put the code should be
named AutoOpen and be stored in the document (or the common
template if the users will be creating multiple new docs).

2. the OpenDataSource code to link to the database after
you've changed the QueryDef. This you should be able to
record in a macro.

The procedure can display message boxes to get the
"parameter" information. Then just plug that into the
DAO-code as you would if you were coding in Access.
Remember to set a Reference (Tools/References) to the DAO
object library!

(Note that you may find you need to hook up to the linked
tables directly, rather than through the backend)

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update
Sep 30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any
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