DOCUMENT:Q264723 14-NOV-2000 [word97] TITLE :WD97: How to Suppress Blank Lines During a Mail Merge PRODUCT :Word 97 for Windows PROD/VER:WINDOWS:97 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbdta word8 word97 kbmerge ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Word 97 for Windows ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= During a mail merge in Microsoft Word, you may want to remove blank lines from the merged document if no information is available for that line. For additional information about how to suppress a blank line when you use a conditional statement (IF field), click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q264787 WD97: Blank Line Is Not Suppressed in a Conditional Mail Merge MORE INFORMATION ================ Frequently, in mail merges that involve addresses, there is a second line for the street address. This second line is normally used for a suite or apartment number. In order to close the "gap" in the address when no data exists for that merge field, make sure you do not place any spaces, punctuation, or anything else except merge fields on that second line. If there is anything else on that line, that line appears in all merges. NOTE: Each line must end with a paragraph mark (ΒΆ) in order for Word to suppress the line, if the result of the MERGEFIELDS is blank. If the line ends with a New Line character, Word cannot suppress a blank line. The mail merge feature evaluates each line as the merge is performed. If there is any text on the line, that line appears in the merge result. If there is no text on the line, but there is a merge field, the mail merge feature checks to see whether there is any data for the merge field. If there is no data for the merge field, that line is not created in the merge result. To change this feature setting, follow these steps: NOTE: You must be in the mail merge Main (form) document to change the setting for the merge. 1. On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge. 2. In the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click Merge. NOTE: You must select the main document and data source for the merge before you perform step 2. 3. In the Merge dialog box, under When Merging Records, click either: - Don't print blank lines when data fields are empty. -or- - Print blank lines when data fields are empty. 4. Click Close in the Merge dialog box, and then click Close in the Mail Merge Helper. NOTE: If you made no changes in the Merge dialog box, the Close button is not available. Click Cancel instead. REFERENCES ========== For more information about suppressing blank lines in mail merges, click "Contents and Index" on the Help menu, click the Index tab in Word Help, type the following text troubleshoot mail merge and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Blank lines are showing in the merged documents" topic. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant. Additional query words: suppress remove empty null close mailmerge ====================================================================== Keywords : kbdta word8 word97 kbmerge Technology : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2 Version : WINDOWS:97 Issue type : kbinfo ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2000.