[Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

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liquidcool123
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[Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by liquidcool123 »

I've followed several threads and learned how to use mail merge to create labels, but I cannot seem to get the labels to advance when I print to a file.

In my Writer labels, I have the following fields:
<filename>.Sheet1.Last Name , <filename>.Sheet1.First Name Next record:<filename>.Sheet1

where <filename> is the name of my data source - a spreadsheet containing a list of first and last names in titled columns.

I get an entire page of just the first record when I try to print to a file. Please help!
Last edited by liquidcool123 on Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by thomasjk »

If you use the File-->New labels wizard make sure the synchronize button is checked on the Options tab, otherwise the next record field will not propagate to all the labels.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by liquidcool123 »

Did that - still no luck. Same error: whole page of 1st record only
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by thomasjk »

Are you using the Data to Fields icon by any chance? Try File-->Print and say yes to the form letter question.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by liquidcool123 »

Tried that too. No luck. I'm hoping to try from a PC later this week. Is there any chance it could be a Mac issue? I confirmed that all the field codes are updating properly with the synchronize button and I even tried adding an extra next record code - no luck.

Interestingly, if I hit print (not print to file) and save the output as a .pdf, I do get some other records, but it only give me the first 4 of 20, then a bunch of blank records and then only the 5th record alone on another page. Curious.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by thomasjk »

How are you selecting the records? Are you trying to print all the records or only certain ones'?
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by liquidcool123 »

I tired both ways: choosing print all and selecting records (hold shift) and print selected records. Both - no luck. I followed the same steps for creating labels from my PC and had the same results. There must be something I am doing wrong, but I can't figure it out!
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by TheGurkha »

This is what I used to learn about labels. personally I don't use the wizards, they seem unpredictable to me.

Here's a long page of all kinds of useful stuff to do with labels: Labels Tutorials
Mail merge info: FSM Mail merge Tutorial
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by glenstorm »

I am having the same exact problem. It is happening on my Work Computer Ubuntu 10.10 (I am not sure what version of OO I am using there) and my home computer MacOS 10.6.5 OO version 3.2. One caveat I am noticing though is that the records progress in the first label of each page but the rest of the labels reflect data from the first record.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by thomasjk »

Read the links posted above by TheGurkha.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by liquidcool123 »

I read the links, checked that the database was being created correctly by the wizard and tired again. No luck. Only the 1st label repeated.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by thomasjk »

Can you post your file and matching source db that does this? See http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/ ... =74&t=8289 for attaching files.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by liquidcool123 »

Attached is the database file, label creation file, and the printed output. I still get a page of all the 1st record.

Things I've tried (with help from this forum)
-different computer
-selecting records
-reviewing help and user guides

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
Attachments
Advisory Labels PC.odt
Printed Output
(12.49 KiB) Downloaded 699 times
Labels with Fields.odt
Label creation file
(14.13 KiB) Downloaded 609 times
Advisory Database PC.odb
Database File
(1.7 KiB) Downloaded 475 times
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by thomasjk »

You didn't post the spreadsheet that is linked to the database. I can't do anything without the spreadsheet. If you don't want to post it publicly attach it to a PM to me.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by liquidcool123 »

Attached is the spreadsheet that I used to create the database and the writer document that I used to create the spreadsheet.
Attachments
Advisory Spreadsheet.ods
spreadsheet
(12.26 KiB) Downloaded 750 times
Class List.odt
Writer file
(8.81 KiB) Downloaded 604 times
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by thomasjk »

Well that fix was simple. I created a merged document with all of your data and saved it as a file. When you open the file you are asked if you want to update the links. If you say yes you get a single record in all positions. If you say no you get all the records as expected. To correct this you can go to Tools--->Options--->Openoffice.org Writer--->General. Under update click Never and this will always produce the result you want or leave the setting as is and say no to the update request when opening the file. The attached file has all of your records.
Attachments
test.odt
(11.13 KiB) Downloaded 850 times
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by acknak »

It works ok for me, using OOo 3.3rc7 on Linux. Ok in 3.2.1 also.

If you're merging with output to a document, you must answer "NO" to the "Update all links?" prompt. The links in the merge output are left over from the "synchronize labels" feature. They cause the content in the first label to also appear in all the other labels on the sheet, so if you answer "YES", then every label on the sheet will display the same merged data as the first.

Oops--sorry, Tom. I didn't see you had answered already.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by liquidcool123 »

I must still be doing something wrong. I opened the file that has the fields (Labels with Fields), selected print to file, and then opened that file. I did not get a prompt to update the links.

I verified that in the options under Writer/General I have "On request" for update links.

I'm sure it's something simple I'm miss understanding, and I truly appreciate all the help and support!
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by acknak »

I'm not sure that you intended to give a precise description, but in case you were, "print to file" won't give you the results described above.

You must use the menu: File > Print. At that point, you should get a dialog window asking "... Do you want to print a form letter?" If you don't see that prompt, then something is wrong with your starting merge document.

If you click "YES", then you get a new dialog window that allows you to configure the merge. There you can choose to send the merged output either to the printer, or to a new document. If you send the output to a new document, and you open that document in OOo Writer, then you should see the prompt for updating the fields--to which you must select "NO" to prevent OOo from making all the labels the same.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by thomasjk »

The other option you can try is Tools-->Options--->Openoffice.org Writer--->General---->Update Links when loading and set it to Never in the merged output document. I just downloaded your files again and as long as I say no to updating the links in the merged output document I always get all of the fields filled in correctly when I open it.
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Re: Mail Merging Labels: next record field not working

Post by liquidcool123 »

That did it! Thank you so much! For others following this thread with similar problems, just click "No" when prompt on the printed labels file asks you if you want to update fields.

Special thanks to acknak and thomasjk for your patience and help!
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Re: [Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not work

Post by imenasol »

I still have the same problem. I have tried everything that was suggested here.
I still get one label per page... I get to the "... Do you want to print a form letter?" I get to the next page to configure the merge, then i go to save instead of print.

The below doesn't seem like its an option for me.

"There you can choose to send the merged output either to the printer, or to a new document. If you send the output to a new document, and you open that document in OOo Writer, then you should see the prompt for updating the fields--to which you must select "NO" to prevent OOo from making all the labels the same."

Could you help a bit more with this problem?
thanks
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imenasol
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Re: [Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not work

Post by imenasol »

also when i go to open the file, there is no option for updating the link... just processes and opens the file without giving me options.
hope that helps.
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Re: [Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not work

Post by thomasjk »

Check this setting:
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Capture.PNG
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Re: [Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not work

Post by imenasol »

That is the page I cannot find. I have went to "Options" in the search menu, searched for different types of "options " subjects in the help menu. Even typed in LibreOffice Writer in the help search field and and cant get to that screen. :knock:
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Re: [Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not work

Post by RoryOF »

Options is accessed under Preferences on a Mac.
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Re: [Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not work

Post by imenasol »

ok found it. However it was already set to "on request". As your image indicates
I switched it to "Never" (just in case) and then populated through print again, and I am still getting the same problem.
This is one of those moments where I wish I would have never been curious about a Mac. smh
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Re: [Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not work

Post by imenasol »

:crazy: also, unchecked "fields" and "Charts" just to try something different, and still the same. :crazy:
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Re: [Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not work

Post by acknak »

Is it possible for you to attach your merge document here?

The data would be helpful also but maybe not necessary as long as you can tell us what kind of data source you're using.
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Re: [Solved] Mail Merging Labels: next record field not work

Post by imenasol »

I wish I could, but its work affiliated, and i cant really post. I did however fix the problem in a non-conventional manner.
There is Arabic that is included which I thought may have been a factor... This was the main reason for me using openoffice in the first place.
1. Once I created the Data fields in OpenOffice with the English and Arabic mix of labels I created a label page.
2. I only inputted text fields that needed to be in each label.
3. I copied this information and then when to Microsoft Word Label Wizard. Prior to this the wizard would simply take apart the Arabic script, however now it recognizes each word/ligature as an image that would be deleted completely and not able to be edited. I pasted this information in the address information box as soon as you open Microsoft Word Label Wizard.
4. I adjusted the font, and there is a button that indicates label entire page or one by one. Just choose the one by one.
5. Then use Mailmerge to bring in the original spreadsheet.
6. Merge and then Use the table and go through it step by step, until you find the designated column headers.
7. Populate with the key for populate... simply hover over the buttons and it will tell you which is which.
8. You can print or save just the same, but it when you print it will only let you print 1 or all of the documents for some strange reason.
9. I found if you save as a pdf you can print which ever pages you would like.

I was descriptive in my response just in case someone had my same problem. This stuff is easy for you, however if someone like me has this same problem overseas at least they can follow suit.
If I wasn't clear please let me know.
Thank you guys for your patience and support.
A
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