WD: Using Comparison IF Statements with Text and Numbers

• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 3.0, 3.01, 3.02, 4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 5.1a

SYMPTOMS

When you use the print merge IF function for comparisons, the data returned may be different from what you expect.

CAUSE

In your data file, a particular field contains text with some records and numbers with other records.

MORE INFORMATION

When the comparison is set up to select a number greater or less than another value, such as <<if score>"70">> <<score>> <<endif>>, fields that contain text will also be printed. This is because Word considers all text to have a greater "value" than numbers.

To instruct Word to return only numeric values, use two IF statements: one that restricts text and one that returns the correct numeric value. For example:

   <<if score<"A">> <<if score>"70">> <<score>> <<endif>> <<endif>>

If the comparison information does not include quotation marks, the error message "Not a valid integer for comparison" will appear.

For example, the statement

   <<if score>70>> <<score>> <<endif>>

   <<if score>"70">> <<score>> <<endif>>

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