Using Sharkware with Word for Windows

ID: Q119893

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

SUMMARY

This article describes how to use Sharkware version 1.0 with Microsoft Word. Sharkware is a personal information manager that keeps track of business contacts, address book information, and appointments.

MORE INFORMATION

Defining Your Word Processor

After you install Sharkware, you must identify the Word processor you plan to use with Sharkware. To do this:

1. From the File menu, choose Preferences.

2. In the Preferences dialog box, choose Printing.

3. In the Printing Preferences dialog box, complete the following:

    a. Select the type of document for which you are setting up
       preferences (letter, fax, memo, report, label, or envelope).

    b. Select the "Use Word Processor with DDE" option.

       NOTE: Failure to do this creates the appearance that none of your
       templates are designed correctly. In fact, all the documents you
       create will be based on the Word NORMAL.DOT template if you select
       the option "Use Word Processor Without DDE."

    c. Make sure the correct template is selected for the type of document
       you are creating.

4. Choose the Word Processors button.

5. Select Microsoft Word from the Word Processor Name drop-down list and

   choose the OK button.

6. Choose the OK button.

Using Sharkware Templates

To use one of the Sharkware templates, choose Select Template from the Write menu, select the desired template, and choose the OK button. Sharkware opens a new document in Word based on one of the following templates:

   SWENV.DOT          Envelopes
   SWFAX.DOT          Fax Cover Page
   SWLAB.DOT          Labels
   SWLETTER.DOT       Business Letters
   SWMEMO.DOT         Business Memos

If you choose to, you can modify any of these templates by opening them in Word, making your changes and saving the templates to the SHARK directory. To preserve your original template, it is recommended that you save your modified template using a new filename.

Merging from Sharkware to Word

Choosing Letter, Fax, Memo, Label, or Envelope from the Write menu in Sharkware allows you to merge a single (current) record. If you want to perform a merge that includes all contacts in your database, or contacts based on selected criteria, use the Print Merge command on the Write menu.

As your information is being merged, two temporary files are created, one for the main document, one for the data document. When your merge is completed, these temporary files are closed and the final, merged document appears on the screen. You can then choose Print from the File menu in Word to print your merge document.

Sharkware Mergefield Names

Sharkware uses the following naming conventions and conversions for popular mergefields. All Sharkware templates contain macros that convert the Sharkware database names to the Word mergefield names.

   Sharkware name          Word mergefield name
   --------------          --------------------

   Name, Last              LastName
   Company                 Company
   Name, First             FirstName
   Name, Middle            MiddleName
   Title                   Title
   Salutation              Salutation
   Phone 1                 Phone1
   Phone 1 Ext             Phone1Ext
   Address Line 1          A1_type
   Address Line 2          A2_type
   City                    C1_type
   State                   ST_type
   Zip Code                ZC_type

Sharkware Macros and Error Messages

Each Sharkware template for Word contains an Autonew macro that restores Word if it is minimized. If Word is closed when you initiate a print merge from within Sharkware, you receive the following error message

   The Window is too small.

followed by a subsequent error message indicating that Sharkware

   Cannot initiate DDE conversation with [Microsoft Word]

You are then instructed to close Sharkware, start Microsoft Word, and minimize it before you can perform the merge.

The Create Merge macro included in the SWLETTER, SWFAX, and SWMEMO templates is used to execute the conversion of the Sharkware fields to mergefields and initiates the merge to a new document.

The SWLAB and SWENV templates use a macro called ReportEngine to initiate the merge command before calling either the Label or Envelopes macro to convert the Sharkware fields to Word mergefields. The templates then perform a merge to a new document. The SWLAB template includes two additional macros to align either single- or multiple-label formats, similar to the macro used in the Word 2.0 MAILLABL template.

Importing/Exporting Data

Sharkware allows you to import and export files as comma-delimited ASCII text or in dBase formats.

Sharkware is manufactured by Cognitech Corporation, a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

Sharkware technical support can be contacted at:

   Sharkware Help Desk
   Cognitech Corporation
   P O Box 500129
   Atlanta, GA  30051
   Phone: (770)518-4577 (9-6 EST)
   Technical Support: (404)518-3285
   FAX: 404-518-9137
   WEB: www.sharkware.com

REFERENCES

"Sharkware for Windows User's Guide" version 1.0

KBCategory: kb3rdparty KBSubcategory: kbmerge Additional reference words: 6.0 6.0a 2.0 2.0a 2.0a-cd 2.0b 6.0c 2.0c mail merge print merge database macro template dde dynamic data word6 exchange sharkware winword

Keywords          : kbmerge 
Version           : 2.0 2.0a 2.0a-cd 2.0b 2.0c
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: September 19, 1997