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Q97644: HOWTO: Merge Text from a Memo Field

Article: Q97644
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): 2.0,2.5,2.5a,3.0,5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbvfp300 kbvfp500 kbvfp600 kbGrpDSFox kbDSupport
Last Modified: 09-FEB-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0, 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a 
- Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.0, 2.5, 2.5a 
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SUMMARY
=======

Memo fields provide a powerful way to implement text merges in FoxPro. The
information below provides the code to print the contents of memo fields
containing the text for a text merge.

MORE INFORMATION
================

In this example, the memo field contains the text to be merged with the text
merge components. The page spacing (top, bottom, and side margins) is controlled
within the memo field. A sample memo field will appear much like this:

     <<DATE()>>

     <<ALLTRIM(PROPER(CONTACT))>>
     <<ALLTRIM(PROPER(COMPANY))>>
     <<ALLTRIM(PROPER(ADDRESS))>>
     <<ALLTRIM(PROPER(CITY))>>, <<ALLTRIM(STATE)>> <<ALLTRIM(ZIP)>>

     Dear <<ALLTRIM(PROPER(CONTACT))>>:

     This area includes the body of a letter to be sent to the contact.

     Sincerely,

     Author's name

The following code prints the letter from the memo field shown above. The text
merge components (the fields and such) are in the SAMPLE\DBFS subdirectory of
FoxPro for MS-DOS and the SAMPLE\ORGANIZE\DBFS subdirectory of FoxPro for
Windows.

    CLEAR
    SET PRINTER ON
    SET TEXTMERGE ON                && enable evaluation of components
    SET TALK OFF                    && prevents printing of commands
    SET TEXTMERGE DELIMITERS TO     && set default delimiters
    SET MEMOWIDTH TO 80             && sets memo width for 80 columns
    USE Clients
    SCAN                            && forces top-down processing
     FOR J=1 TO MEMLINES(<memo>)    && processes each line in memo field
        X="\"+MLINE(<name of memo field>,J)
        &X                          && macro substitution
     ENDFOR
    ENDSCAN

NOTE: If the print job doesn't print until you quit FoxPro, see the following
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q102203 BUG: Print Job Is Not Released to Printer

Additional query words: VFoxWin FoxDos FoxWin

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Keywords          : kbvfp300 kbvfp500 kbvfp600 kbGrpDSFox kbDSupport 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbFoxPro200DOS kbFoxPro250DOS kbFoxPro250aDOS kbFoxPro250 kbFoxPro250a kbVFP300 kbVFP500 kbVFP600
Version           : :2.0,2.5,2.5a,3.0,5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

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