merge error message

[RobertB]

Hi, I'm merging a document created with Word X on my other Mac running
WIndows 2004. The merge seems to run fine using a tab-delimited text
file generated from an iData source file. Whenever I merge the form
letter with the data source, I receive the following error message:

"Word could not finish merging these documents or inserting this
database."

However, as far as I can tell, the merge runs to completion and the
generated letters are fine. Any idea why I'm getting the message and
what it refers to?

 

[CyberTaz]

Just a guess, but there could be some additional content in the text file
(following the last actual record) that Word is assuming _should be_ a
record but can't parse. Have you tried opening the file in TextEdit (or even
in Word) to see if there is any garbage at the end?

 

[RobertB]

Just a guess, but there could be some additional content in the text file
(following the last actual record) that Word is assuming _should be_ a
record but can't parse. Have you tried opening the file in TextEdit (or even
in Word) to see if there is any garbage at the end?

There was an extra carriage return, which was interpreted as a blank
record. The tab-delimited file has more fields than are included in the
merge letter, including a "notes" field. However, I'm simply using name
and address information.

Happened again today with a similar data source (identical format,
different data, small file).

 

[CyberTaz]

How many of the source fields you include in the merge makes no difference.
The source may have 50 fields, but if you only want content from one it's no
problem. The empty row is what was causing the stoppage - or more precisely
the two consecutive carriage returns. That's interpreted as an end of file
marker & works just like air brakes on a semi.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[RobertB]

How many of the source fields you include in the merge makes no difference.
The source may have 50 fields, but if you only want content from one it's no
problem. The empty row is what was causing the stoppage - or more precisely
the two consecutive carriage returns. That's interpreted as an end of file
marker & works just like air brakes on a semi.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

That may have cleared part of the problem. I'll have to check again next
time I run, because I believe I received an error message, although not
a "could not complete" error.