Folder Shortcuts / Word 2003 / Mail merge Fields / Odd Issue Advic

[Guest]

A Network Shared Folder named "Letters" containing Word Documents.

Each computer on the network has a desktop shortcut to the "Letters Folder"

Problem
On one computer when the documents in the "Letters" folder are accessed by
the shortcut or by browsing to the "Letters" folder......when opened there
are merge fields for date and address and salutation inserted.
All the other computers open without these merge fields.

Question
The merge fields are not wanted.
The path of the "Letters" folder has been confirmed to be the same on all
computers via the shortcut properties and the "Letter" folder properties?

Can anyone tell me why the documents would be opening with merge fields,
when everyone is accessing the same folder and documents.....
What a am I overlooking here?

 

[Peter Jamieson]

1. Do they definitely open without the merge fields, or do they open without
any merge fields showing? (Alt-F9 to see them, although in the case of Merge
fields you would normally see /something/.

2. What template are the merge fields attached to?

3. Does the "odd one out" computer have any macros in normal.dot, the
template the document is attached to (or are there any in the document?

4. Are there any INCLUDETEXT fields in the document?

The path of the "Letters" folder has been confirmed to be the same on all
computers via the shortcut properties and the "Letter" folder properties?

Just to be absolutely sure I would open the document and have a look at the
path name in Word File|Properties|General.

Peter Jamieson

 

[Guest]

Thanks Peter for the reply
can you advise me a little further?

I am assuming they are mergefields......how whould I identify the type of
field?

I opened one of the documents in the "Letters" folder.....but I don't
understand where you mean I should look within the document by saying...Word
File | Properties | General.

If we all browse to the same folder and access the same documents....why
should there be any difference on this one computer? Can you give me a few
things to try based on assumptions you might try to determine the problem?

 

[Summer]

Right click on the desktop shortcut and select "Properties" it will show you
the location?

Of interest, do tell why you call it a template when it does not have an
automatic date, address salutation field
holders? What does it have that you consider makes it a template?

They are not necessarily {merge fields} they could be text formfields -
press CTRL Home then F11 - when your cursor lands on the field start
typing - do you just see text on the screen? They are formfield text
indicators and you move to them pressing F11 as it is easier than locating
the next part of the document that requires variable information to be typed
in.

Anyway, why haven't you set group policy for template paths "WorkGroup
Templates" at login/logoff - why would you need to manually browse or use a
desktop shortcut instead of just File New?

Hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

Hi Summer
Thabnks for the reply.
Right clicking on the shortcuts does show the same path on all computers.
Can you explain to me what Peter meant by Word File|Properties|General.

I realise that this has not been setup properly......The templates would be
better setup via Word to appear in the General Tab of the template dialog.
The reason I call them tamplates is because in this situation they have been
saved in a folders with dot extensions.
I was only referring to manually browsing to them to explain that when also
accessed directly (not through the shorcuts) on this one computer these field
are present.
If you have any further suggestions, they would be appreciated.
Thanks for the information on Text Formfields.......I will need to check
this out...although I am almost certain they are merge fields.
Many thanks

 

[Peter Jamieson]

am assuming they are mergefields......how whould I identify the type of

field?

It doesn't really matter: if you use Alt-F9 to show the field codes on the
"rogue machine", what fields do you see (the things inside curly braces
{ } ) ? What about on a non-rogue machine?

Word
File | Properties | General.

I mean, in Word, with the relevant document open, choose the File Menu, then
the Properties item, then the General tab.

What path does it show for the document?

If we all browse to the same folder and access the same documents....why
should there be any difference on this one computer?

I don't know, but obviously there is a difference and the reason is what
we're trying to establish. Possibilities include:
a. the document path is not what you think it is
b. the template opened by Word on the rogue machine has an AutoOpen macro
which affects behaviour
c. the rogue machine has an "addin" that affects behaviour
d. all the machines actually run some sort of addin or macro, but for some
reason it only has an effect on the document on the "rogue machine"
e. the document uses an INCLUDETEXT field to get material from elsewhere,
and the INCLUDETEXT includes a file which is different on the "rogue
machine".

For (a), if the document path is a "UNC" path starting with \\ and it is the
same path as the other machines show, then the chances are it really is the
same path. If on the other hand it shows a path starting with a drive letter
such as x: , then it is still possible that this one user's machine has the
x: drive "mapped" to a different location from everyone else.

For (b) and (c), with the document open,
- look at Word Tools|Templates and Addins|Templates|Document template to
see which template the document is attached to on the rogue and a non-rogue
machine. If it's "Normal", then they are almost certainly actually attached
to different templates, because "normal.dot" is usually stored on each
user's machine.
- in the same dialog box, look at "Global templates and add-ins". Does the
rogue machine have any that the non-rogue machines do not?
- check Word Tools|Options|File locations on the "rogue" machine and a
"non-rogue" machine - what paths are set up for "User templates" and
"Workgroup templates" ?

You can try to discover whether there are any AutoOpen macros by
f. opening the document while the shift key is pressed down. this should
prevent AutoOpen macros from running. Does the "rogue machine" still show
the rogue fields?
g. opening the VBA macro editor via Word Tools|Macro|Visual Basic Editor,
then...
h. you will probably see a list of Projects in a subwindow at the top left.
There should be one for each loaded template and document - i.e. there could
be just one for the document, and one for normal.dot ("Normal"). Try opening
up the "tree" for "Normal", and seeing if there are any macros in
Normal|Microsoft Word Objects|ThisDocument, or in Normal|Modules, if you see
that item. Then have a look at the items under the "project" for the
document you have open, and for its template if it is attached to a
different one from Normal.dot.

For (d), you would first have to determine whether a macro is actually
running - let's not go there right now.

For (e), you shoiuld have spotted any INCLUDETEXT fields when you looked for
fields at the beginning of this process.

Peter Jamieson

 

[Guest]

Dear Peter,
Thanks for the clear explanation....I din't realise I could access Word
document propeties from the File menu......what is the difference viewing the
properties / path this way compared to right clicking either the shortcut or
Word Document icon?....doesn't it convey the same information?

You have provided me with plenty to investigate......if I resolve the
problem .....I'll let you know the outcome.....I probably can't see the
problem for looking at it!!

Many Thanks again for your patience.

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Word Document icon?....doesn't it convey the same information?

It probably does, but
a. one tells you what document you think you are about to open, the other
tells you what document is actually open (for example, suppose the document
you open has an AutoOpen macro that opens another document then closes, or
something like that).
b. a path with a drive letter does not tell you the whole story unless you
also have the info. which tells you what drive letter it is mapped to
c. sometimes when you actually post the reply rather than keep it to
yourself, someone can spot something unusual.

To me, the fact that you have this difference of behaviour and cannot spot
why tells me that something non-obvious is happening, and that therefore you
have to start considering that the things you think are obvious may not be,
after all. FWIW it's quite possible that there is also some very simple
explanation which I either don't know or have failed to consider.

Peter Jamieson

 

[Guest]

Dear Peter
thanks once more.
I will consider all your suggestions to troubleshoot my problem.
Have a good day
Dermot

 

[Guest]

Dear Peter,
I have a bit of a red face!

Just as you suggested.....I must have toggled to display the Merge fields.
Ctrl +F9 toggle to remove the problem.
Not being familiar with Merge Fields or Include Text Fields etc didn't help!
Would you have a link to any Fundamental Tutorials to get me on the road to
understanding the topic?

This excercise has been interesting for me...thanks for all the advice.

I have a better understanding how to troubleshoot other issues that may arise.

Thanks

Dermot

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Shift+F9 or Alt+F9 to toggle. Ctrl+F9 inserts a new field.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Suzanne

Shift+F9 or Alt+F9 to toggle. Ctrl+F9 inserts a new field.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Glad you found the problem!

Word Help (in Word 2003) has a fair amount about fields - if you can find
the Table of Contents, look for Automating Tasks and Programmability|Field
Types and Switches|Using Fields

Peter Jamieson

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply Peter
Hope you have a good day
Cheers

Dermot