Address Book with mail merge

Wheatridge · 05-25-2009, 01:01 PM

I have set up a template to print an address book. I have 6 records to a page. When I print the book all six of the records show the same record from my data base. How do I get each record to use the next record in the file?

itendo · 05-27-2009, 12:54 PM

do you mean it prints the same value in different fields or that it prints the same set of values over and over? for the latter, there is a <<NEXT RECORD>> command; for the former it sounds like your source might be messed up

Wheatridge · 05-28-2009, 09:06 AM

Thanks itendo. In searching for the <next record> command I have discovered that I was trying to do my project from the wrong template. I was attempting to make a "Mail Merge" when I should have been using a Catalog Merge. You have set me in the right direction.

itendo · 05-29-2009, 08:25 AM

great! I am going to need to learn about Catalog Merge more, post a how-to if you happen to find a particularly good one.

Wheatridge · 05-30-2009, 08:52 AM

Catalog merge allowed me to set up a layout of merge blocks on a page. I made a block of 12 entries, 6 records x 2 columns to conform to my Daytimer Address Book. Merging the data produces a different record in each block. Now the problem is to get the block of records to print correctly on the page of Daytimer blank forms. Problem #1 is that the array is filled accross when the data should fill down one column and then down the second column. Problem 2 is that I can not contain the printing to only the form's space on the 8.5 x 11 page. I can set up a custom sized page, but not a portion of a standard paper size. Any suggestions?

itendo · 06-01-2009, 06:39 AM

hmm, as for the filling line after line instead of column after column, that seems like a setting based on how the <next records> were placed. ie pasted line by line, instead of column by column. one of those weird nuances with the program, unless it defaults always to line by line.

this may seem a backdoor way of doing it, but can you reorganize the records so that they flow with the page? it may seem like even more work; but i use excel and you could throw some weird sorting into the sheet to get it to flow. ie drop a count in a fake column, that skews the ordering. i have no idea what count would be (im not that mentally agile).

in terms of it printing beyond the borders, mess with the draggable margins above that constrain text rather than the size of the page. i have the same issue with Avery labels.

Wheatridge · 06-02-2009, 08:00 AM

Thanks for your input Itendo. The dragable margins in Publisher's catalog merge do not drag. They are only constrained by the page size. In Access reports you can determine record flow, but Access does not have a "catalog" merge (or I can't find it"), so each record prints out with the same entry. This whole situation came about because Daytimer, about 10 years ago, discontinued their address book software which I have on 6 floppies. It won't run on Vista, even if I had a floppy drive. I own a lifetime supply of paper (custom perferated to have 2- 3.75" x 6.75" pages on a 8.5" x 11" sheet. With my duplex laser printer I can print two sides at a pass. I just thought that either Access or Publisher should allow me to produce a template. I can sort of do it with publisher if I could restrain the printinng area and somehow have it alphabetize the pages by flowing up and down the columns. I can remember the "old days" of computing when you could actually talk to a Microsoft engineer. The last time I actually was able to talk to someone at Microsoft was two hours that I was on the phone having them help me with a "Sven" virus I picked up in 1998, or 1999. And then they reached the conclusion that I would have to "Illuminate" my hard drive, as nothing worked to get rid of "Sven". Symantec could do nothing either, and I then was able to talk to their tech people. It seems that the "Sven" virus eats Symantec' removal tools.

itendo · 06-03-2009, 11:02 AM

sounds like one nasty virus.

found an interesting article talking about a bunch of other competitors of outlook on pcmag.com and when they kept complaining about outlook it made me wonder if outlook had a template.

Sure enough, they have something called Day-Timer #20254 Portable Loose-Leaf as a Paper type (scroll all the way down) under the Page Setup dialog (accessible from the Print dialog).

I'm not sure if this is the paper type you need, or if maybe theres a way to add-in more types; or if you even use outlook. But if this works for you it may be a reason to start (I am using MS Outlook for Office Pro Plus 2007).

05-25-2009, 01:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
Wheatridge Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Phoenix Posts: 4 OS: Vista	Address Book with mail merge I have set up a template to print an address book. I have 6 records to a page. When I print the book all six of the records show the same record from my data base. How do I get each record to use the next record in the file?

05-27-2009, 12:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
itendo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: columbus ohio Posts: 66 OS: vista 64 sp2 My System	Re: Address Book with mail merge do you mean it prints the same value in different fields or that it prints the same set of values over and over? for the latter, there is a <<NEXT RECORD>> command; for the former it sounds like your source might be messed up

05-28-2009, 09:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
Wheatridge Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Phoenix Posts: 4 OS: Vista	Re: Address Book with mail merge Thanks itendo. In searching for the <next record> command I have discovered that I was trying to do my project from the wrong template. I was attempting to make a "Mail Merge" when I should have been using a Catalog Merge. You have set me in the right direction.

05-29-2009, 08:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
itendo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: columbus ohio Posts: 66 OS: vista 64 sp2 My System	Re: Address Book with mail merge great! I am going to need to learn about Catalog Merge more, post a how-to if you happen to find a particularly good one.

05-30-2009, 08:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
Wheatridge Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Phoenix Posts: 4 OS: Vista	Re: Address Book with mail merge Catalog merge allowed me to set up a layout of merge blocks on a page. I made a block of 12 entries, 6 records x 2 columns to conform to my Daytimer Address Book. Merging the data produces a different record in each block. Now the problem is to get the block of records to print correctly on the page of Daytimer blank forms. Problem #1 is that the array is filled accross when the data should fill down one column and then down the second column. Problem 2 is that I can not contain the printing to only the form's space on the 8.5 x 11 page. I can set up a custom sized page, but not a portion of a standard paper size. Any suggestions? Last edited by Wheatridge; 05-30-2009 at 08:54 AM.

06-01-2009, 06:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
itendo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: columbus ohio Posts: 66 OS: vista 64 sp2 My System	Re: Address Book with mail merge hmm, as for the filling line after line instead of column after column, that seems like a setting based on how the <next records> were placed. ie pasted line by line, instead of column by column. one of those weird nuances with the program, unless it defaults always to line by line. this may seem a backdoor way of doing it, but can you reorganize the records so that they flow with the page? it may seem like even more work; but i use excel and you could throw some weird sorting into the sheet to get it to flow. ie drop a count in a fake column, that skews the ordering. i have no idea what count would be (im not that mentally agile). in terms of it printing beyond the borders, mess with the draggable margins above that constrain text rather than the size of the page. i have the same issue with Avery labels.

06-02-2009, 08:00 AM	#7 (permalink)
Wheatridge Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Phoenix Posts: 4 OS: Vista	Re: Address Book with mail merge Thanks for your input Itendo. The dragable margins in Publisher's catalog merge do not drag. They are only constrained by the page size. In Access reports you can determine record flow, but Access does not have a "catalog" merge (or I can't find it"), so each record prints out with the same entry. This whole situation came about because Daytimer, about 10 years ago, discontinued their address book software which I have on 6 floppies. It won't run on Vista, even if I had a floppy drive. I own a lifetime supply of paper (custom perferated to have 2- 3.75" x 6.75" pages on a 8.5" x 11" sheet. With my duplex laser printer I can print two sides at a pass. I just thought that either Access or Publisher should allow me to produce a template. I can sort of do it with publisher if I could restrain the printinng area and somehow have it alphabetize the pages by flowing up and down the columns. I can remember the "old days" of computing when you could actually talk to a Microsoft engineer. The last time I actually was able to talk to someone at Microsoft was two hours that I was on the phone having them help me with a "Sven" virus I picked up in 1998, or 1999. And then they reached the conclusion that I would have to "Illuminate" my hard drive, as nothing worked to get rid of "Sven". Symantec could do nothing either, and I then was able to talk to their tech people. It seems that the "Sven" virus eats Symantec' removal tools. Last edited by Wheatridge; 06-02-2009 at 08:24 AM.

06-03-2009, 11:02 AM	#8 (permalink)
itendo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: columbus ohio Posts: 66 OS: vista 64 sp2 My System	Re: Address Book with mail merge sounds like one nasty virus. found an interesting article talking about a bunch of other competitors of outlook on pcmag.com and when they kept complaining about outlook it made me wonder if outlook had a template. Sure enough, they have something called Day-Timer #20254 Portable Loose-Leaf as a Paper type (scroll all the way down) under the Page Setup dialog (accessible from the Print dialog). I'm not sure if this is the paper type you need, or if maybe theres a way to add-in more types; or if you even use outlook. But if this works for you it may be a reason to start (I am using MS Outlook for Office Pro Plus 2007).