How to do merge with varying fields in each record?

[Tim]

I've got address databases that have varying number of fields in each record.
It varies from 3 to 6. I've set up the source with 6 fields to cover the
maximum, but each time I open the data source, I get an error message "Record
x contained too few data fields" for each record with less than 6 fields. Is
there any way to turn off this message? The source gets merged fine, but it
takes a long time since I have to acknowledge these incessant error messages.
Thanks for any help.

I'm using Word 2003, SP2.

 

[Graham Mayor]

You need to setup your databases to have the same number of fields for each
record, even if some of the fields are empty.

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


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Tim]

Yes, I understand that would solve the problem. But why does it need to give
these error messages in the first place? It successfully merges all data,
and would do so smoothly if it weren't for these messages that I'm already
aware of. Each record is made up of a character that divides the record into
fields. And, each record has a character that designates the end of that
record. Word could easily ignore the fact that there are insufficient
fields, and just move on.

I was hoping there was an easy way to do this - maybe and if..then command.
And, BTW, I'm not creating these database files, so it's difficult if not
impossible to modify them to suit Word.