Q197761: WD97: View Merged Data Doesn’t Suppress Blank Lines

Article: Q197761
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
========

In a label mail merge main document, Word may not suppress blank lines when you
view merged data (on the Mail Merge toolbar, click View Merged Data).

NOTE: The blank lines are correctly suppressed when the document is merged to a
new document or merged to printer.

CAUSE
=====

When a MERGEFIELD is followed by a end-of-cell marker in labels or a Word table,
Word cannot suppress a blank line when the MERGEFIELD is blank. However, Word
will suppress a blank line when the MERGEFIELD is followed by a paragraph mark.

NOTE: To view paragraph marks and end-of-cell markers, do one of the following:

- On the Tools menu, click Options. On the View tab, click to select the All
  check box (listed under "Non-printing characters") and then click OK.

  -or-

- On the Standard toolbar, click Show/Hide.

WORKAROUND
==========

To allow Word to suppress blank lines when you use View Merged Data, in your
mail merge main document, position the insertion point immediately after the
MERGEFIELD in a label or table cell and press ENTER to create a paragraph mark.
Do this for each of the labels or table cells that contain MERGEFIELDS.

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

NOTE: In the following examples, <P> represents a paragraph mark and []
represents a label (table) end-of-cell marker.

In the following example, Word will not suppress blank lines correctly when the
result of a MERGEFIELD is blank:

     {Mergefield Name}<P>
     {Mergefield Number}[]

In the following example, Word will suppress blank lines correctly when the
result of a MERGEFIELD is blank:

     {Mergefield Name}<P>
     {Mergefield Number}<P>
     []

Additional query words: suppression 8.0 8.00

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

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