Is there anyway to get a Dataset or a DataTable as the source? The header in any case would be > 255 characters.

Is there another way to have <<variable>> fields populated without using MailMerge?

TIA

Thanks, I got the datasource and the mergefields to connect. The problem is now, how do I update the MergeField with the data in the datatable?

foreach (Word.Field fld in rng.Fields)
{
if (fld.Type == Microsoft.Office.Interop.Word.WdFieldType.wdFieldMergeField)
{
foreach(DataColumn col in this.MyExpenses.Tables[0].Columns)
{
if (fld.Code.Text.IndexOf(col.ToString()) > -1)
{
fld.Code.Text = MyExpenses.Tables[0].Rows[0][col].ToString();
break;
}
}
}

Hi zedekiah

First, I need to reduce your expectations a bit: Word does not provide a way to link a dataset, data source, data table or anything else "in memory" to a document as a mail merge data source. Word requires the data source to be made available as a file, in a "traditional" location (no URLs allowed), in a "flat table" format.

The best you can do if you don't want to create a file is "cheat". The code Doug gave you "cheats": it locates the merge fields, lets you match them field name to your data table. BUT, then you must put the data in... in place of the merge field. What you appear to be doing (as best I can tell) is putting the value into the field's code. This won't work. You have to actually remove the field and put your text in its place. No guarantees on what I'm about to show you, because I'm typing this from the top of my head, but it should give you an idea how to approach the problem:

Word.Range rng = fld.Result;
fld.Delete(missing);
rng.Text = MyExpenses.Tables[0].Rows[0][col].ToString();

Yes, that works, thanks a lot. I try to access the data island in the word document and it fails to find the cached data item.

statements 1 and 2 always return false and statement 3 "Object reference not set to an instance of an object"

I did open and save the document before trying any of this.

VSTO WORD Code:

[Cached()]
public Expenses MyExpenses = new Expenses();

private void ThisDocument_Startup(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
if (this.NeedsFill("MyExpenses"))
{

this.EmpId = 513;
using (OleDbConnection cn = new OleDbConnection(ConnectionString))
{
string QueryName = "TERMTOOL_MAILMERGE_Get_List";
cn.Open();

using (OleDbCommand cm = new OleDbCommand(QueryName, cn))
{

cm.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
OleDbParameter parameterItemId = new OleDbParameter("@EE__", OleDbType.Integer, 4);
parameterItemId.Value = EmpId;
cm.Parameters.Add(parameterItemId);

OleDbDataAdapter objAdap = new OleDbDataAdapter(cm);

objAdap.SelectCommand = cm;

objAdap.Fill(this.MyExpenses, "Expenses");
}
}
}

Word.Section sec = this.Sections[1];
Word.Range rng = this.Sections[1].Range;
// Word.Range rng = sec.Headers[Microsoft.Office.Interop.Word.WdHeaderFooterIndex.wdHeaderFooterPrimary].Range;
foreach (Word.Field fld in rng.Fields)
{
if (fld.Type == Microsoft.Office.Interop.Word.WdFieldType.wdFieldMergeField)
{
foreach(DataColumn col in this.MyExpenses.Tables[0].Columns)
{
if (fld.Code.Text.IndexOf(col.ToString()) > -1)
{
Word.Range range = fld.Result;
fld.Delete();
range.Text = MyExpenses.Tables[0].Rows[0][col].ToString();
break;
}
}
}

ASPX.PAGE CODE:

string filename = @"C:\TeamProjects\TermTool\TermTool\TermTool\CheckOutForms.doc";

FileStream file = new FileStream(filename,FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);
byte[] template;
try {
template = new byte[file.Length];
file.Read(template, 0, (int)file.Length);
}
finally {
file.Close();
}

/*1- */ bool IsCacheEnabled = ServerDocument.IsCacheEnabled(filename);

/* 2- */ bool IsCustomized = ServerDocument.IsCustomized(filename);

ServerDocument sd = new ServerDocument(template, ".DOC");

try {
/*3*/ sd.CachedData.HostItems["TermTool.ThisDocument"].CachedData["MyExpenses"].SerializeDataInstance(MyExpenses);
sd.Save();

// "template" still has the original bytes. Get the new bytes.
// template = sd.Document;
}
finally {
sd.Close();
}
Response.ClearContent();
Response.ClearHeaders();
Response.ContentType = "application/vnd.ms-word";
Response.OutputStream.Write(template, 0, template.Length);
Response.Flush();
Response.Close();
}

That was not the problem. Come to find out I had not published. There is another problem. We are instructed to first save the document before we attempt to change the data island. As I understand it, the code I got from Cindy eliminates the mail merge fields so I cannot change the anyway. Is there any work around so I can change data islands and send to different people using Mail Merge Fields?

Hi zedekiah

I really think you're misunderstanding how Word and data islands and such work...

VSTO + data islands + Word are set up to use BOOKMARK objects as targets. Not merge fields. If you're going to use VSTO, you should set up the "template" to use bookmarks controls, not merge fields. Then you can even use the ServerDocument functionality to populate the data, remove the VSTO customization and send the document - all without needing to automate Word at all. Here's one link on the topic

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/4c0hby0e.aspx