field and record delimiters on data source

[Judy]

Suddenly I cannot open my data source when doing a mail merge. I added about
100 address today, and now when I try to open it in the mail merge I get a
message asking me to choose a field delimiter and a record delimiter from 2
dropdown boxes. If I cancel the box, it says my document cannot be opened
because it does not contain a valid database. I have been using this database
and adding to it for a couple of years, I never had this message and fear I
have ruined my mailing list!

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Is the data source a Word file, or something else? What format is it in?
Table? Tabbed? How were the additional addresses added today?

Sometimes, it's something as simple as having two tabs where one should be
(depending on the format, of course).

 

[Judy]

I open a word document, then click Mail merge. Using the "wizard" like
thing, following the prompts. I click on get data, select my data base,
(which is a word document), then click edit on the mail merge helper, and
select the data base again, then a box opens called Data Form. Here I can
enter the names and addresses one by one into a "wizard" like thing. Then I
click ok when I am done.

When I go to close the document it says do you want to save the data source
attached to your document, and I click yes.

An there you have it. Usually. I've done it probably 100's of times with
no problem. This time when I tried to open it to add more addresses, I get
the message about the selecting the apropriate field delimiter and record
delimiter with drop down menus for each. I do not know what to select, and
if I just close the box, it says Word could not open, because it didn't
contain a valid data base.

Thanks for you help. I'm stumped.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Looks to me like one more reason to ditch the wizard and use the Mail Merge
Helper or create the merge manually using the Mail Merge toolbar.

 

[Judy]

I am using the mail merge helper. I was just describing the boxes that open
as a "wizard like" thing. THe problem is with the mail merge helper, it
won't open my data source.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If you don't get an answer here, try posting in the
microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields NG.

 

[Judy]

Thanks SUzanne, but how do I do that? This ismy first attempt at skkeing
help like this. So far I have no answers about wht to put in the tw drop
down boxes that I am given when I try to open the data base.
Judy

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Try clicking on one of these links:

news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...spx?dg=microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields

See also http://word.mvps.org/FindHelp/Posting.htm

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

If your data file is not sensitive or private, if you send it to me, I can
take a look to see if I can figure out what the problem is. Send to:
data-problem(at-sign)herbtyson.com. This is a special temporary address I
just set up for this purpose. Replace (at-sign) with @, of course.