In OpenOffice mail merge documents, you see the field names like Name onscreen, not the data like Bob. The data appears when you print.

I just wanted to clarify something since I hate to see people thinking they're doing something wrong when they're doing it right.

Here's an example using labels.  This is how it's supposed to look. You won't see the data onscreen, you'll see the field names like first name. When you print, the correct data will appear.

If you don't know want to print all the data, you can pick the ones you want in this  window. Just choose File > Print, click yes that you want to print a form letter, and then select the records you want in this window. Select the first record, hold down Ctrl and select the next one, and so on.

Or specify a range.

Then just click OK.

Comments

[Steve Smith]

This used to work, circa two months ago.

I have my form letter displayed in Writer, with my Data Source hooked up (I can see the list of database entries I'm trying to print in my form letter). You say:
"Just choose File > Print, click yes that you want to print a form letter,..."
I have no option to "click yes that you want to print a form letter.

Any help will be *greatly* appreciated. I'm using OO v2.2.0

Thanks,
Steve

[Solveig]

Hi Steve,

I'm guessing that two months ago, you printed the results to a file, and now you've opened one of those output files instead of the original document. Try looking for another document that displays the fields; if you don't get that form letter message, there aren't any database fields in the document.

Another option is that you saved it in .doc format. .doc format isn't capable of holding the mail merge connection to the database, so in that case you'd need to re-create the original mail merge document.

Solveig

[Steve Smith]

Excellent reply. My first thought at your mention of .doc format was "of course I didn't do that". Of course, I did. Putting the database fields in the .odt version makes everything work.

Thanks very much, Solveig.

Steve

[Shannon]

I am trying to print envelopes through a mail merge. I can see the env on the screen correctly, when I print the page is completely blank. Any help?

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