WD6X: Data Source Not Recognized Reopening Merge Doc from RTF

Q132255

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

If you save a Word document with a long file name that contains a link to a mail merge data source document as Rich Text Format (RTF), when you reopen it, Word prompts for the location of the data document and indicates it does not understand the data source name provided if you click Cancel.

The first time you try to reopen the document, the following error message results:

<File name> is a mail merge main document. Word cannot find its data source.
When you select the data file, the following error message results:
<File name> is a mail merge main document. Word cannot find its header source.
The second error occurs even if no header source is in use.

NOTE: This problem does not occur in Microsoft Word 6.x for Windows because Word 6.x for Windows does not support long file names.


CAUSE

Word's RTF writer does not enclose long data document filenames within quotation marks when saving as RTF. Therefore, Word's RTF reader cannot understand the long filename during subsequent import.


WORKAROUND

Method 1: Reattach the Data File

  1. Open the document as Rich Text Format.


  2. When Word prompts that it cannot find the document's data source, click Find Data Source, specify the location of the data source document, and click Open.


  3. When Word prompts that it cannot find the header source, click Find Data Source (if a header source document exists), specify the path to the location of the header source document, and click Open.

    If no header source document exists, click Options, and select Remove Data/Header Source.


Method 2: Modify the RTF

  1. Open the RTF mail merge main document as Text Only.


  2. Search for the name of the data source document and enclose the name within double quotation marks. For example, the string
    Data Document
    should be changed to:


    3. "Data Document"
  3. Resave as Text Only and reopen as Rich Text Format.



STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Word versions 6.x for the Macintosh and Word version 6.0 for Windows NT. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Word 7.x and later for Windows and Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition.

Additional query words: conversion convert converted converts converting translation translated translates translating transfer transferred transfers transferring mail merge print

Keywords : winword kbmerge macword word6
Issue type : kbbug
Technology : kbWordSearch kbWordWSearch kbWordMSearch


Last Reviewed: November 13, 2000
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