Merge Document

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joe925c

Basic document looks like this:

(horizontal line) to separate records
Phone: {field 1} Name: {field 4} Birthday: {field 6}
Work: {field 3}
School: {field 9}
Sport: {field 10}
Notes: {field 12}

The three lines after the horizontal line are three columns while "Note" is
one column. The output prints the horizontal line and three column data
perfectly; however, the merge is generating a page break before the "Note"
line. I have identified the basic document as a "Directory" merge but see
nothing in the document indicating this. The output first page shows the line
and column data. The second output page begins with the first record's Note
then the second record's line and column data and so on.

(1) Why is the page break being generated between the column and note data
and even more, why is there any page break being generated for a directory
merge?
(2) How can I block protect each record output so it does not cross physical
page boundaries? The number of lines required for each record output will
vary.
(3) After all the records have been merged in the output document I want to
have some additional data in that document. I do not see any codes available
to put in the basic document to delineate the merge set of data. For example,
get next record and start at the top of line label "x" in the basic document.
 
Let's clarify whether by "columns" you are referring to a table or snaking
columns; if the latter, then a Continuous section break would be involved,
and that would definitely be a factor.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org
 
Suzanne,

Thanks for the reply. The columns I referred to were based on the conversion
wpd file to a doc file. The columns were unequal in length generated by TABs
to set the lines and go to the next column. In this way column 1 may be 2
rows, column 2 five rows and column 3 3 rows. I think they were three
different tables in DOC. I use the past tense since I somehow deleted the
file and today had to redo it from scratch starting with a blank DOC. This
time I selected "Tables" on the Insert Tab and utilized the "Draw Table"
item. Drew three boxes in one row connected side-by-side. Entered the fixed
text and merge field data. The "Note" at the end is outside the table. Tried
merge and looks better but still a few problems.
(1) Each record prints out on a separate page like before but the page is
smaller in length...just enough to hold the merged record data. I even put
the "Next Record" at the end of the Note line and no difference. I suspect
that might be able to delete the section mark and force records to be in
sequence on the letter size page.
(2) Assuming I can solve the one record per page, how can I block protect
the record output so it does not break across the letter size page?
(3) I put in what I call fixed data following the "Next Record" code.
Expected that it would be places at the end of all the merged records;
however it was skipped on the first record but did appear at the end of each
merged record after that. Any idea how to correct his?
 
I advise avoiding Draw Table; I prefer to use Insert Table, and I might be
inclined to use a table row (with the three columns merged) for the Notes
field. You can assign an Exact (or At Least) height to the row for that
field, which will force it to reserve a fixed amount of space.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org
 
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