Blank Lines Not Suppressed for Any Field Except MERGEFIELD

• Microsoft Word for Windows, version 2.0, 2.0a 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c
• Microsoft Windows operating system, versions 3.0 and 3.1

SUMMARY

In version 2.0 of Microsoft Word for Windows, the Print Merge Helper (PMH) gives you the option to suppress the blank line that normally results if there is no data document entry for a MERGEFIELD field. PMH only suppresses blank lines for MERGEFIELD fields. Blank lines are not suppressed for bookmark fields or the print merge fields used in version 1.x of Word for Windows.

For example, PMH suppresses a blank line if the field {MERGEFIELD Address} is used, but PMH does not suppress a blank line if the field {address} or {ref address} is used in the main document. MERGEFIELD fields can be inserted with the Insert Mergefield button located on the print merge bar, which appears when you are in a print merge main document.

MORE INFORMATION

Selecting the Skip Completely option button under "Treatment of Blank Lines Caused by Empty Fields" suppresses the blank line that results from an empty field if you use the MERGEFIELD field introduced in Word for Windows 2.0. PMH does not suppress blank lines if bookmark fields or the 1.x style print merge fields are used.

You must even use MERGEFIELD fields to next print merge records in conditional statements if you want blank lines to be suppressed. In other words, the same blank line suppression rules apply when you nest MERGEFIELD fields in conditional (IF) statements. For example, if you use the field:

   {IF {MERGEFIELD order}<>"" "Thank you for your order"}

   {IF {order}<>"" "Thank you for your order"}

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide," version 2.0, pages 637-45, 670