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Q196940: WD97: Mail Merge Does Not Merge Hidden Character Formatting

Article: Q196940
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): word97 kbmerge
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If a Microsoft Word mail merge data document contains hidden text formatting,
the text appears without the hidden format after Word performs the merge.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Word. The mail merge main document
controls the formatting of text during a merge.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, use any of the following methods.

Method 1: Format the Merge Field in the Mail Merge Main Document as Hidden
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Format the merge field in the mail merge main document as hidden. When the merge
is performed, the result of this field is hidden text.

Method 2: Remove the Word "mergefield" from the Merge Field
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Remove the word "mergefield" from the merge field in the main document. To do
this, begin by displaying field codes (press ALT+F9). Delete the word
"mergefield" from within the field code. Ignore the "Error! Bookmark not
defined" message and perform the merge. The result after the merge is hidden
text.

Method 3: Replace the MERGEFIELD Field with a REF Field
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Turn on field codes (by pressing ALT+F9), and replace the word "mergefield" with
the word "ref" (without the quotation marks) in the field code. The merge will
generate hidden text for this field.

Method 2 and method 3 do not permit you to suppress blank lines when a field in
the data file is empty. Method 1 automatically suppresses the blank lines.

Additional query words: mail merge hidden format character font

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Keywords          : word97 kbmerge 
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbprb

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