Problem with IncludePicture and mergefield

[Kit]

I have successfully dreated a mailmerge for graphics in Word 2000 using the adivce from Cindy M and Graham Mayor (Thanks, guys!). I used an Access 2000 table with the field "Path" as the textfield to hold the pathname to the graphics image (including double "\" as in C:\\Marketing\\Graphics\\signature.jpg). When I tried to run the same Merge file and table on a computer with Word 2002, I have a problem: each time I save the merge document, the INCLUDEPICTURE FIELD changes from {INCLUDEPICTURE "{MERGEFIELD Path}" \* MERGEFORMAT} to {INCLUDEPICTURE "signature.jpg" \*MERGEFORMATINET}. In other words, it seems that saving the file updates the MERGEFIELD to the specific row in the table that the Merge document is pointing at. Has anyone else run into this problem with the field updating to remove the MERGEFIELD when saving? I have also tried this format {INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\Marketing\\Graphics{MERGEFIELD "Path"}" \*MERGEFORMAT} and using merely the filename in the Access table. When I try the merge, it works properly so that when I press F9 the proper pictures appear. But as soon as I save the merge main file the fields appear as follows: {INCLUDEPICTURE "signature.jpg" \*MERGEFORMATINET} and, of course, that is what every document show when I merge to new document.

 

[Graham Mayor]

Try turning off Update Links in tools > options > general.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
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[Kory Hagler]

OFFXP: Relative Hyperlinks Are Not Saved Correctly
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;813914

But as soon as I save the merge main file the fields appear as follows:
{INCLUDEPICTURE "signature.jpg" \*MERGEFORMATINET} and, of course, that is
what every document show when I merge to new document.

 

[Kit]

Sorry Kory and Graham, neither suggestion worked. I tried turning off the "Update automatic links at Open" in Tools|Options|General and I tried implementing the tactics mentioned in the article 813914 referred to by Kory. I tried that even though I am not using a shared drive, just the C: hard drive

When in put {INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\{MERGEFIELD Path}" \MERGEMORMAT} in my main merge document and save it, it changes to {INCLUDEPICTURE signature.tif" \MERGEMORMATINET} where "signature.tif" is the file name of the first record in the Access table that I'm merging to

How could they get it right in Word 97 and Word 2000 and get it so wrong in WordXP

But I did find a kludge: if I put double quotes like so -- ""C:\{Mergefield Path}"" then it will save without updating. The only problem is that the INCLUDEPICTURE reports "invalid file name". HOWEVER, when I merge it to a new document, the MERGEFIELD expands correctly, though it still is encased in double quotes. A search and replace for "" with " and then a CTRL-A and F9 to update correctly displays the graphics. Now to write a macro to do the search and replace and the update fields!!

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Unchecking Word Tools|Options|General|Web Options|"Update links on save"
seems to do the trick here. Irritating that Web-related options affect
non-web docs but there you go.

--
Peter Jamieson - Word MVP
Word MVP web site http://www.mvps.org/word

Sorry Kory and Graham, neither suggestion worked. I tried turning off the

"Update automatic links at Open" in Tools|Options|General and I tried
implementing the tactics mentioned in the article 813914 referred to by
Kory. I tried that even though I am not using a shared drive, just the C:
hard drive.

When in put {INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\{MERGEFIELD Path}" \MERGEMORMAT} in my

main merge document and save it, it changes to {INCLUDEPICTURE
signature.tif" \MERGEMORMATINET} where "signature.tif" is the file name of
the first record in the Access table that I'm merging to.

How could they get it right in Word 97 and Word 2000 and get it so wrong in WordXP?

But I did find a kludge: if I put double quotes like so --

""C:\{Mergefield Path}"" then it will save without updating. The only
problem is that the INCLUDEPICTURE reports "invalid file name". HOWEVER,
when I merge it to a new document, the MERGEFIELD expands correctly, though
it still is encased in double quotes. A search and replace for "" with "
and then a CTRL-A and F9 to update correctly displays the graphics. Now to
write a macro to do the search and replace and the update fields!!