>Jason,
>Cetin Basoz has a MailMerge program in the Files section here on UT. Look for MMERGE.ZIP. There have also been many threads about the differences in Ole Automation commands between Word 95 and Word 97.
>
>You can load Word and start the merge without it showing on the screen, although your users might get a little confused about what's happening.
>
>HTH
>Barbara
>
>>Hello All...
>> I am about to attack a program in which a database full of alumni is used to send out mass mailings. I have no idea whatsoever where to start, and am not against using MS Word to handle the merge, but would like to keep it hidden if possible.
>>
>>Ideas or a point in the right direction would be appreciated.
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>Jason Nance, Junior Programmer
>>Illinois State University
>>Office of Residential Life
>>Residential Computing, Programming Services

I just checked out the mail merge classes you mentioned and have a few comments.

My background: We have a direct mail shop that has used Foxpro tables for years. Our first app was written in FoxBase+ using WordPerfect for DOS as the mail merge processor (don't ask how we did it, it wasn't easy), the app was converted to Fox 2.6 for DOS. That system was used for 4 years. I then scrapped the WordPerfect method and switched to Word (Delphi app using a fox table connecting to Word for Office 95). In know, Delphi... skip it. Delphi, Fox whatever the method doesn't change. We merge jobs in sizes ranging from 50-50000 pieces.

Here's what we found:

You cannot simply use Word to mail merge. You have to connect to the Fox table through ODBC which is incredibly slow! The fastest data source is a word table but you can't easily get a Fox table into a Word table. You also need to consider that if you're printing several thousand pieces then you cannot do them all at once as one print job. It would be extremely difficult to manage the output. Also, if you're using Word only and someone leans on the keyboard before you print, you could print the entire job with a typo in the letter.

We print our pieces in smaller portions called sacks. In third class mail you actually need to put bundles of mail in a sack. Hence the name. Our sacks are no larger than 250 pieces. A very manageable size.

I'm assuming that you're going to run this table through a third-classing software package. The savings are incredible! Talk to your local post-office for all your options.

Anyway, to print. What we do is create the letter in Word. Create a word table in a separate document with all the columns you'll need and one blank row. Attach that table as the data source for your letter. In Delphi (or Fox, our new app is under development in VFP5) we launch word, open the doc, open our table, go to the sack we want, fill in the row in the word table from our Fox data, print the piece, skip 1 in Fox, fill in the row in the word table from our Fox data, print the piece... You get the picture.

Remember, you only need to beat the speed of the printer. In our case it's 30 pages per minute. Difficult to do with ODBC but easy to do with a Word table.

This method also allows you to escape in the middle of a sack if you need to.

Feel free to give me a call if you'd like to talk about any of this stuff. I've spent more time then I'd like working out this crap and wouldn't like anyone else to have to sweat these details. (513) 523-6700

paul