Default Data File Format (Word 2002)

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In Word 2002, when a user creates the data source while in the Mail Merge, it defaults to an Access file (.mdb). Unfortunately, this will cause a problem due to the fact that we do not have DOCS Open configured (if it even can be, I do not know) to be able to save documents of this type. Does anyone know of a behind the scenes way to change this default to .xls? Or do you think it can be done??
TIA for any help!

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Hi Mary… I don’t think DocsOpen (v 3.9.5) allows users to save MS Access files… from the User Guide online… http://www.affecto.com/ip/DOCSOpen395/DOCSOPENSUsers395.pdf%5B/url%5D p.75, the instructions indicate to save the data file to native (on network somewhere):

To perform the mail merge:
1 Select Tools>Letters and Mailings>Mail Merge Wizard. The Mail Merge Wizard window is displayed.
2 Select the type of document you want to create. Click Next.
3 Select how you want to set up your document: use the current document, start from a template, or start
from an existing document.
To use a document from DOCS Open as your form document, select Start from existing document.
The Quick Retrieve screen is displayed. Select the desired document and click OK.
Then click Next.
4 To use an existing list that was saved natively, click Browse. The Quick Retrieve is displayed. Click
NativeApplication!. The Select Data Source dialog box is displayed. Select a document and click Open.
Or, to create a new data source, select Type a new list and click Create.

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Thanks for the info about DOCS. I actually am already very familiar with a mail merge. What I am really trying to find out is if there is a way through coding that anyone knows that can change the default format of a data file so that instead of automatically defaulting to a .mdb, it defaults to either .xls or a word doc with the info in a table or even a .txt file. I wonder if you can save a .mdb in Docs Fusion, I am going to check as that is what we are going to next. Fun for me!

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Hi Mary… sorry for the misunderstanding… found this acticle on MSDN which explains a little more about the code used in Word 2002 mailmerge… from the looks, you can change items in the MailMerge Wizard and change the datasource from the new OLEDB to ODBC or DDE (used in Word 97/2000)… I’ve attached a couple of links for you to review… hope it helps… http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default….lopersPartI.asp[/url] and http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default….lMergePartI.asp[/url]

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Thanks. the first one appears to have quite a bit of good info, however, it doesn’t appear that the save format of a new data source can be changed. If anyone sees anything different let me know…

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