how do you print an address book with mail merge?

Hi Frank

What do you mean by 'daytimer' format?

Is it just a matter of designing an appropriate page format and saving it as a template?

Have you considered using Base (the database) with its built in report writer?

Tony

day timer format: several address on each page.

I can not figure out how to make a template that get populated with several records ohn one page, I tried labels, but I have not been successful yet.

no I have not thought about using Base, but I will start thinking about it.

Thank you,
    Frank

Hi Frank

I have sucessfully created the sort of address list you want using labels. The process is, however, a bit convoluted. This is what I did:

I have an address list (for Christmas cards, actually) in a Text document as a table - so I copied and pasted the table into a Calc spreadsheet. You need a Calc document or Base table as the data source for labels. As far as I know, a table in a Text document cannot be used (as you can in Word 97, for instance.). If you want to input your addresses as a 'block' of lines you have to use Calc as you cannot use Ctrl-Return to get a new line into Base table fields.

Next you have to tell OOo what your data source is. If it's a table in Base it will be registered automatically. If it's a Calc spreadsheet you have to go to Tools > Mail Merge Wizard > Next > Next > Select Different Address List... > Add and browse to your Calc spreadsheet which then appears in the list after you take Open. Then do OK > Cancel. (This is the only way I know of to register a Calc spreadsheet as data source for labels - maybe someone elsewill come up with a better way!)

To create the 'labels' take File > New > Labels. You should be able to select your data source in Database and Table (this will be the sheet name for a Calc source), then select the field you want and use the arrow to insert them in the address box. Under Format, select Sheet and a suitable Label Type (I used Brand: Avery A4, Type J8160 Address). On the Options tab, select Entire Page. Now press New Document. Save this document - it is your master document for the next time you want to produce an updated address list.

Next take File > Print. You will get a dialog asking you if you want to print a form letter. Click Yes to get the Mail Merge dialog. Here you can apply a filter to your addresses, if you want. Or select a range of records. You can also choose to Output to Printer or to a File. If you take this latter option, you can save the address list as a document - you will want to choose Save as a single document.

OOo doesn't make it easy!

If this solves you problem, please mark it as 'Solved'

Tony

Hi Frank

A more elegant way to nominate your spreadsheet as a data source is with File > Wizards > Address Data Source. Select Other External Source > Next > Settings > Select Database Type as Spreadsheet > Next > Browse to your spreadsheet > Test Connection (optional) > Finish > Next (no field assignment needed) > Next > Enter an Address book name > Finish.

Tony