INCLUDEPICTURE w/ unique " mail merge" file names prints wrong

[Bryan G]

I am successfully using the INCLUDEPICTURE command, and using a "mail merge"
field to identify specific .tif files I want to use as page 2 of a letter.
When I view the document, the correct .tif files are being created.

Once the Word 2003 goes to print the .tif file from the first record
propagates to all subsequent records. The command I am using looks like this

{INCLUDEPICTURE "J:\\abc\\{ MERGEFIELD "Reference" }.tif" \*MERGEFORMAT}

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Typically you have to do one of the following:
a. check either the "Update fields" or "Update links", or both options in
Word's Tools|Options|Print dialog
b. if that does not work and you are merging directly to the printer, I
think you will have to merge to an output document, select the entire
document (e.g. control-A), and update all the fields using F9 before
printing.

Peter Jamieson

 

[Bryan G]

Peter,
I tried both methods to no avail. I selected two letters and went into edit
individaul letters, use Cntl-A and F9, and it did not expand the link. I
moved the files off the network drive to the local drive with the same
results.

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Sorry, I forgot: you may also need to go into Word Tools|Options|General|Web
options|Files|Update links on save (even though you are not doing anything
to do with the web).

Also, when you merge to a new document, you should be able to see the field
codes generated by the merge. If you use Alt-F9 to look at one of them, what
do you see (there should still be an INCLUDEPICTURE field but no MERGEFIELD
field there)? Are there any spaces in the file name that shouldn't be there?

Peter Jamieson

 

[Bryan G]

I have been out of town. There are no spaces in the merged field. I have
changed the directory name, so there aren't any spaces. The file name is
merged with the INCLUDEPICTURE command on the front end, and the appropriate
file path and name following and the \* MERGEFORMAT as the suffix all
enclosed within { }

{ INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\CHECK\\NAME.TIF \* MERGEFORMAT }

I have tried the command with both single and double \ in the file name.
When I press ALT <F9> a different file is inserted.

 

[Peter Jamieson]

If you really have the field you describe, i.e.

{ INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\CHECK\\NAME.TIF \* MERGEFORMAT }

then it will definitely behave as you describe as you need the closing
quote, i.e.

{ INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\CHECK\\NAME.TIF" \* MERGEFORMAT }

But assuming that's a typo, all I can say is that I have tried the same
thing, with the same folder (but obviously different merge data source, main
document and .tif files) here and the pictures update fine with select then
F9. The only other thing I can think of off the top of my head is that the
F9 key may have been re-assigned, but I think you can find that out quite
quickly by changing a field code, selecting it and pressing F9 to see if it
updates.

If you insert/link the same picture in the merge output file immediately
after the link generated by the merge, can you spot any differences at all
in the fields? Does the manually inserted field produce the correct picture?

Peter Jamieson

 

[Bryan G]

Peter,
Yes, the " was a typo. I can take the generated file and directory
structure, paste it into explorer and pull up the file(s). the merged
document references different .tif files. Owner1.tif, owner2.tif ., etc.
When I press Alt <f9> it pulls in the very first document I every merged (not
even referenced in the current mail merge).

I do need to get this application to work, and I appreciate your help. At
some point, maybe I can hire you to complete it for me (if that is an
option), as this project is a time sensitive application.

Please advise.

 

[Peter Jamieson]

You can despam my e-mail address and e-mail the stuff to me if you want, but
only if it's a reasonable size! All I could probably get back to you is an
output file with all the images embedded (i.e. with links removed). Can't do
anything unitl the morning (19th Apr. UK time)

Peter Jamieson

 

[Bryan G]

Finally got it to work using the \d command at the end of the file. Now I
can not save the "native" command. When I save, it merges the field. Any
suggestions?

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Glad something worked.

Finally got it to work using the \d command at the end of the file.

OK, I tke it you mean "at the end of the field"

It looks as if you are probably experiencing a memory size limitation of
some kind. I wonder if that is affecting the next thing, but...

can not save the "native" command. When I save, it merges the field. Any
suggestions?

....sorry, I'm not sure what you mean at this point. When you save the Mail
Merge Main document? What actually happens? Can you spell it out a bit more?

Peter Jamieson

 

[Bryan G]

I broke down and worked with MS today. Basically, every time I changed one
thing something else stopped working. I was having a problem with file save.
Every time I tried to save the file in converted my command from:

{ INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\Check\\{ MERGEFIELD "Reference" }.tif" \*MERGEFORMAT
\d }

to:

INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\CHECK\\NAME.TIF \* MERGEFORMAT }

In order to fix the problem, I had to uncheck the option selected for
Tools/generalWeb Options/files/udpate links of save.

I still can not get the merge to occur inside the document. They had me do
exactly what you suggested with the Select All using <Cntl-A>, press <F9> to
update the fields, and then print from that point.

They referred me to article #909132.

I appreciate all your help. I will close the out this case, and thanks again.