Word cannot find its data source

[Augie Dawg]

I've been using Word 2002 for a long time to do a monthly mail merge using
an HTML file for the data source. The HTML file is in the same folder as
the Word document, and has complete permission rights to read, write, etc.
This merge worked like a charm for at least the last three years. Around
six months ago, I started getting the error message, after the SQL warning
was answered YES, that "Word cannot find its data source", giving me the
option of finding the source or deleting the header info or deleting all
mail merge info. If I try to designate the data source by navigating to the
source file, I get the same error message, so I'm forced to remove the
header info and going through the Mail Merge Wizard again, every month.
This is getting REAL old.

I've seen some postings in this group suggesting that embedded blanks might
be the cause of this error message. The field names found in the HTML file
used as the source have no embedded blanks, though the file name of this
HTML file does have blanks. I've searched the MS Knowledge Base with no
success (I'm running Word 2002 on WinXP Pro, not 2003 Server). Anyone have
an idea how to get around this problem?

Thanks
A.D.

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Augie,

This has only been happening since you've been seeing the SQL prompt? Have you
tried disabling that prompt, to see if that makes a difference?

"Opening This Will Run the Following SQL Command" Message When You Open a Word
Document - 825765
http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=825765

If you open the HTML file in Word it should display as a Word table, I assume?
Does it look correct? If you then save this as a Word document and link to
that, do you still get the problem? (Note: I'm not suggesting this to be a
permanent solution, just trying to find out if the problem still occurs under
these circumstances.)

How about if you link the HTML data source to a new Word document? Do you still
see the problem with this combination?

Are you setting any filters or sorting that you're saving in the main merge
document?

I've been using Word 2002 for a long time to do a monthly mail merge using
an HTML file for the data source. The HTML file is in the same folder as
the Word document, and has complete permission rights to read, write, etc.
This merge worked like a charm for at least the last three years. Around
six months ago, I started getting the error message, after the SQL warning
was answered YES, that "Word cannot find its data source", giving me the
option of finding the source or deleting the header info or deleting all
mail merge info. If I try to designate the data source by navigating to the
source file, I get the same error message, so I'm forced to remove the
header info and going through the Mail Merge Wizard again, every month.
This is getting REAL old.

I've seen some postings in this group suggesting that embedded blanks might
be the cause of this error message. The field names found in the HTML file
used as the source have no embedded blanks, though the file name of this
HTML file does have blanks. I've searched the MS Knowledge Base with no
success (I'm running Word 2002 on WinXP Pro, not 2003 Server). Anyone have
an idea how to get around this problem?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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