Mail Merge
I'm looking for ideas in handling a problem I'm trying to solve. Let me
explain. I write school administration software... and one of the functions
required is to generate attendance letters. Most the the letter is straight
forward... the letters are rich text documents defined by the user with the
appropriate insertion codes :
... .... .... , etc...
The rich text documents are stored in a database... and I pull the
appropriate "letter" based upon the number of absences/tardies, etc. For
the most part I'm able to generate the letters with the mail merge functions
of the ppRichText component; however, there is also the need to have an
insertion code something like: which would be a "report of
absences"... a type of sub-report within the rich text document... up to10
or 15 lines of formatted text... placed anywhere within the body of the
letter as desired by the user. I realize I can have 2 ppRichText components
with a sub-report placed between the two ppRichText components... but I'm
hoping to have the user "define" one letter with all of the insertion codes
in the same rich text document.... and, of course, I'm trying to make it as
simple as possible...
It appears that additional functionality in the future might require several
sub-reports in the defined letter... maybe ,
or , etc..... in other words the user may define a letter
with many embedded sub-reports. Any suggestions and pointers you might
give would be greatly appreciated.
Joe Hutchins
explain. I write school administration software... and one of the functions
required is to generate attendance letters. Most the the letter is straight
forward... the letters are rich text documents defined by the user with the
appropriate insertion codes :
... .... .... , etc...
The rich text documents are stored in a database... and I pull the
appropriate "letter" based upon the number of absences/tardies, etc. For
the most part I'm able to generate the letters with the mail merge functions
of the ppRichText component; however, there is also the need to have an
insertion code something like: which would be a "report of
absences"... a type of sub-report within the rich text document... up to10
or 15 lines of formatted text... placed anywhere within the body of the
letter as desired by the user. I realize I can have 2 ppRichText components
with a sub-report placed between the two ppRichText components... but I'm
hoping to have the user "define" one letter with all of the insertion codes
in the same rich text document.... and, of course, I'm trying to make it as
simple as possible...
It appears that additional functionality in the future might require several
sub-reports in the defined letter... maybe ,
or , etc..... in other words the user may define a letter
with many embedded sub-reports. Any suggestions and pointers you might
give would be greatly appreciated.
Joe Hutchins
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Could you not use a mail merge field from a db memo text field? So, your report
would have static and variable text mixed. If a condition is met, the table with
the variable text field will have some text to insert into the mail merge
document.
I do a similar thing, but I also use the RBAddons to make it easier. These
components have settings for adding lines, spaces if there is text, or none when
null.
Good luck,
John
Static text
variable text, (from memo field of linked table)
static text
etc.
Obviously, the variable text can't push the remaining text off of the page.
I appreciate your input... I thought I had tried this before and it wouldn't
work... after you comments I "re-tried" the memo field (I'm using the
kbmMemTable component to build my merge file)... and now it is working... I
don't know why I couldn't get it working before. I also have licensed
RBAddons... I just need to figure out how to use them (in my spare time).
Thanks for your help.
Joe
Glad to hear it worked out!
On the RBAddons...yes, I would recommend that you take the time to work with
them. They are great for exactly what you are currently doing.
Good luck,
John