header/footer merge fields not working

[Uh, Clem]

I have not been able to make Mail Merge populate header and foote
fields. I'm using Word 2003, and have tried .txt and .csv files fo
source. Merge fields in a table in the body work fine, but those i
header/footer tables come out blank. After reading related threads i
this forum I removed all header/footer text boxes and drawing canvases
but to no avail. I've tried both Letter and Directory type merges.
When I use the Merge wizard and get to the final step, it tells m
"Word found locked fields during the update. Word cannot update locke
fields." I've verified I can lock and unlock fields in the body wit
CTRL+SHIFT+F11, but using this on the header/footer fields doesn'
change my results. Maybe I'm overlooking something simple, but I don'
see it. Please help

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Header and footer fields do not display the merge results for me until I
either print or do a print preview. That is, they just show the merge codes
when I am in print view until I take one of the other steps. This is with
Word 2003 but I don't think this is new.
--

Charles Kenyon

See the MVP FAQ: <URL: http://www.mvps.org/word/> which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Uh, Clem]

My header and footer merge fields don't display anything at all afte
the merge, either in print preview or when printed. Also, when I tr
merge to printer, I get the same error message reported below abou
locked fields, even though I've unlocked all of them. The merge field
in the body work properly. There's nothing on this problem in the MV
FAQ, either. Help, I need to find a solution soon

 

[Uh, Clem]

I'm still hoping to hear from an MVP or someone with a solution, or eve
further suggestions..

 

[Graham Mayor]

Most MVPs access the server directly rather than through the dreadful
WordForums web portal, and don't keep past messages around for long so if
you don't include the previous correspondence - or the relevant parts of
it - in your post, no-one has a clue what you are on about when you pop up
later.

From the title of your message it seems you want to put a merge field in the
header - well the simple answer to that is that you can't. You would need to
create a page heading in the text plane of the document - not a header.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Hi Graham,

I regularly include merge fields in my footers. It works although it takes a
print preview or print to update the fields. My merges, though, may not be
usual, I am only producing one document in the merge for a single record and
I print directly from the show merge data screen rather than merging to a
separate document.

 

[Graham Mayor]

I was having one of those senior moments this morning. I am not sure what I
was thinking of when I wrote that

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>

 

[Bob S]

My header and footer merge fields don't display anything at all after
the merge, either in print preview or when printed. Also, when I try
merge to printer, I get the same error message reported below about
locked fields, even though I've unlocked all of them. The merge fields
in the body work properly. There's nothing on this problem in the MVP
FAQ, either. Help, I need to find a solution soon!

I have never heard of this problem before. Below are a few things that
you could try...

Bob S

Merging Into a Header or Footer

In versions before Word 2002 this can be problematic. One hint is;
don't merge into a text box in a header or footer. Another is; footers
only appear on the last page. Another is; many types of field code
(e.g. CREATEDATE) don't work at all in headers in mail merge.

It has been reported that merge fields in the header or footer will
actually work in Word 2002 if you are doing a "form letter" merge.
Directory (a.k.a. catalog) merges basically won't take any merge
fields in the header in any version. After all, which record should it
take the data from if several records are going into one page?

One trick that can help if you are having trouble getting merge fields
to work in a header or footer is to put the merge field in the main
document, formatted in a specific paragraph style, then use a STYLEREF
field to put the information in the header. The copy in the body can
be formatted as one point tall and white; alternatively you can format
it hidden, and then in the merge field code add the \* CHARFORMAT
switch; do not use the \* MERGEFORMAT switch.

Another trick is to bookmark the merge fields in the main body and use
a REF field in the header or footer. There has been one report that if
you have a "different first page" header, only the first page bookmark
will work.

 

[Charles Kenyon]

It is my recollection that text formatted as hidden will not be picked up by
a StyleRef field.

 

[Bob S]

It is my recollection that text formatted as hidden will not be picked up by
a StyleRef field.

Ooops, right, scratch the bit about hidden...

Bob S