>>>>I need an easy way to allow users to create, edit and print form letters from a VFP3 application. Here are a few of the features that I would like to include:
>>>>1. Create/edit form letters in Word.
>>>>2. An easy way for the user to insert fields that will be replaced with VFP data (add my own menu to Word listing available fields)
>>>>3. Print a form letter that was created earlier without seeing Word.
>>>>4. Option to merge data with form letter then edit/view before printing.
>>>>
>>>>Any ideas (even better, samples)?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks,
>>>>Shane
>>>Hi Shane,
>>>I haven't done that in Word, but I have done it in Wordperfect,
>>>and basically what I do is create a text file from within Fox with
>>>information from the fields that my forms needs, then I call
>>>worperfect from within Fox, Wordperfect executes a macro that
>>>convert my text file to something that it recognizes as a "Record
>>>description file", and then merge that information with one or
>>>several "templates" or "Forms", previously defined.
>>>I know you can do the same or something much better in word,
>>>look for "merge", "merge codes","Import","DBF",etc.. under the
>>>word help, I have seen samples about that in there.
>>>Good Luck.
>>
>>It's even easier in Word, since Word will read an SDF format text file or a FoxBase 2.x style DBF in its MailMerge, so you can skip one of Luis' steps!
>>
>>Barbara
>What is SDF format?

standard data format -- if last name is 20 chars but only 5 are used for given person, first name is 15, 4 are used, shows 5 chars + 15 spaces, 4 chars + 11 chars, etc.