WD2000: Word Prompts to Select Header Delimiter Using Header File

ID: Q212362

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When you open a header file using the Mail Merge command, Word for Windows prompts you to select the header record delimiter.


CAUSE

By design, when Word reads a mail merge header or data document that contains only one line, Word prompts you to select the record delimiter. In a mail merge data or header document that contains at least two lines, Word compares the two lines and, if both lines contain the same number of a single delimiter, Word does not prompt you to select the delimiter.


WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods:

Method 1: Create the Header Document As a Table

To avoid being prompted, create the header document using a table format, or convert the one row of data to a table format.
To create a table:
  1. On the Table menu, click Insert Table.


  2. Specify one row and a number of columns equal to the number of fields in your header record.


  3. Type the field names in each cell.


Method 2: Convert an Existing Header Row to a Table

To convert an existing header row to a table:
  1. Select the entire header row.


  2. On the Table menu, click Convert Text to Table.


Method 3: Create a Header Document That Contains Two Records

To avoid being prompted, create a header document that contains two records that use the same delimiter. For example: 

   Name,Address,City,State,Zip
   Name,Address,City,State,Zip 

   -or- 
   Name,Address,City,State,Zip
   ,,,,

When the file contains two or more lines, Word compares the number of delimiters in the first and second lines. If both lines contain the same number of delimiters, Word does not prompt you to select the delimiter.

NOTE: Word uses only the first record as the header record.

The field delimiter used in the two identical records can be any character listed in the Field Delimiter list in the Header Record Delimiter dialog box.

This method for automating the determination of the field delimiter does not extend to record delimiters. Even though the dialog box allows you to specify alternative record delimiters, you cannot use any character other than a paragraph mark to delimit the two identical records in the header file if you want to avoid being prompted for delimiter selection.


MORE INFORMATION

The behavior is slightly different for data documents. If you are not using a separate header document and the data document starts with identical records or only a single record, the Header Record Delimiter dialog box appears after you have selected the data document. This dialog box does not appear if your data document contains only dissimilar records.

Additional query words: winword word97 vba 


Keywords          : kbprint kbdta kbmerge wd2000 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 13, 1999