>MS Word opening VFP 5 DBFs that are connected to a DBC.
>
>Why does MS Word give me this error message:
> "WORD WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DATA SOURCE"
>when I perform the following steps:
>
> (1.) I open MS WORD and then create a new Mail Merge Document.
> (2.) I click on TOOLS and MAIL MERGE then
> click on DATA SOURCE, GET DATA, OPEN DATA SOURCE
> (3.) I then set "FILES OF TYPE" to "MS FOXPRO FILE (*.DBF)"
> (4.) I change the "LOOK IN" dialog box to
> the folder that has my VFP 5 DBFs
> and DOUBLE-CLICK the FOXPRO DBF that
> is part of a VPF 5 DATABASE CONTAINER (DBC).
> (5.) When the CONFIRM DATA SOURCE window pops up
> with "FOXPRO FILES VIA ODBC (*.DBF)", I click OK.
> (6.) Then the ERROR MESSAGE pops up:
> "WORD WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DATA SOURCE"
>
>*NOTE, if I choose a DBF that is "FREE" (not in
> a VFP DBC), MS WORD will open the DBF
> and I can MAIL MERGE data from the DBF
> into the MS Word Document.
>
>Thanks for your comments,
>Terry Harris

Terry,

That's simply because Word wants a free Foxpro table, not one that's part of a DBC. There are several solutions to this. One is to produce a free table and connect to it from within WORD. Another option is to use Microsoft Query to connect to your VFP DBC. It will do if you have the VFP ODBC drivers installed. If you don't you can get them from www.microsoft.com/data.

And a third option would be to conduct your merge from VFP: there have been lots of messages here lately, so if you do a search you should be able to find a lot of interestin stuff. Dont't miss Cetin Bazoz messages about mail merge.

José