There is some semantic confusion in Outlook. Outlook Address Book
applies to what shows up on the Outlook toolbar; it also refers to an
address book within the Outlook Address Book. The subsidiary address
book I have that has content in it but which is of no value to my
purposes, is the one labeled Contacts. The one labeled Outlook Address
Book has nothing in it.
If there truly are countless ways to do mail merges then obviously all
of our efforts are for naught. The method I am looking for, however,
which I believe I clearly stated previously, is one that can extract
mailing addresses from Contacts and apply them to a letter or envelope
in Word.
Is there such a method? Word insists there is. Some parts of Outlook
Help indicate there is. But first I must, it would seem to me, gain
access to the mailing addresses, and I have found nothing in the several
hours I've devoted to this, that shows me how to do that.
There are countless ways to do mail merges and there is no way for
anyone to know which method will suit your needs best. That's why there
are Help files and online sites to document all those methods so you
can use the one that works best for you. That's why I pointed you in
that direction. Trying to anticipate which method might work best for
you and spoon-feed you every step you might need is way beyond the
scope of a newsgroup reply.
I do not understand why you remain fixated on the Outlook Address Book
when it is not in play. I do not understand why you cannot relay which
of the mail merge methods you tried and what isn't working for you. It
is not being dismissive to state you are requiring us to read your
mind. It is simply the truth. No one can help you in a newsgroup when
you don't clarify your question or provide the necessary
troubleshooting information.
To add to the problem, you are now posting conflicting information. Now
you claim that "there is nothing in the Outlook Address Book."
Previously you claimed it contained only electronic addresses, which of
course is all it should contain.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
As I have repeatedly stated to you there is nothing in the Outlook
Address Book, despite the fact that I have many Contacts in Personal
Folders. How do I get to use the postal addresses in my Contacts in a
Mail Merge?
"I can post instructions on how to do a mail merge until I am blue in
the face"--why don't you try that instead of being insulting and
dismissive, as exemplified in the following?
"You are still requiring us to read your mind."
If that's an editorial "we" instead of what seems to be a royal "we"
perhaps you have some people available to you who can understand my
English?
You have posted no information. I already explained that what you see
in the Outlook Address Book is normal and has nothing to do with why
you can't "extract" the postal address. I can post instructions on
how to do a mail merge until I am blue in the face, but until you
state why you can't follow them or why you can't use the postal
address no one can help you. You are still requiring us to read your
mind.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"But you did not state what you tried and what trouble you were
having."
NOT TRUE! I wrote, "I've tried a
number of ways to get the addresses to the address book without
success.
When I go to Properties of a contact folder and create an address
book, only
Contacts with an email address or Fax number show up in the address
book.
Does that mean that I cannot use the address book for mail merge
unless
there is one of those associations?"
You shot back, "We can't read minds you know."
I've never known sarcasm, which from my reading of a number of your
posts seems to be a common response of yours, to be a helpful
technique in responding to someone's quandary.
The site you referred me to re Outlook 2003 was of no help to my
question, which you did not answer: "How can I
extract the postal addresses from Outlook for use in a Word mail
merge?"
But you did not state what you tried and what trouble you were
having. We can't read minds you know.
Simple searches will turn up lots of places you can research mail
merges:
http://www.gmayor.com/mailmerge_from_outlook.htm
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
BTW, I mentioned in my previous post (see below) that I had
consulted Help.
message Did you read the Help files? It's all there.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
That seems to be different from what both Outlook Help and Word
indicate, but my unfamiliarity with the terminology may be at
fault. How can I extract the postal addresses from Outlook for
use in a Word mail merge?
message
The Outlook Address Book Service only displays electronic
addresses. That's what it's for. That has no bearing on a mail
merge. You aren't merging to the address book. You are merging
to your Contacts Folder. You only need the address book
_service_ (not the view). The address book service is the
transport for the merge.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Thanks. I've made Outlook my default mail program. However,
I've tried a number of ways to get the addresses to the
address book without success. When I go to Properties of a
contact folder and create an address book, only Contacts with
an email address or Fax number show up in the address book.
Does that mean that I cannot use the address book for mail
merge unless there is one of those associations?
If so, if I were to create a fictitious email address or fax
number, would that allow me to access, for mail merge, the
street addresses of the Contacts?
message
You must make Outlook your default mail program and your
default Contacts manager. You must store your Contacts in
Outlook.