Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 48059
Ability to execute mailing from data view window without the wizard
Last modified: 2013-02-07 21:50:53 UTC
Hi, Some of our users have requested to not use the wizard to mail merged datas in letters. I thought the icône in data view (F4) toolbars was the right one, but no, the wizard openened. So I've found this good old dialog window in the Document tool bar :) So could it be possible to have this dialog back when hiting the mail merge button in the data view ? Would it be possible to get the new functionnality to have the mail merged in only one file using this old dialog window ? Please see my discussion with Frank in the dev@dba archive list : http://dba.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=dev&msgId=1945043 Thanks and kind regards - Sophie
Reassigned to HI.
This is somewhat related to issue 36372 Easy to fix. Just link the icon to the old functionality or add the old functionality to the toolbar-configuration Please consider for OOo 2.0
HI->CJ: We should think about a intuitive shortway.
What is more intuitive than the method used for years prior to version 2.0?
*** Issue 59276 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
In the tool bar "Table Data" there is a Button [Mail Merge...], that calls the Mail Merge Wizzard. If you click on [Add...] you can add (for documents) a button named [Mail Merge] (without ..., but same icon). You can link the functionality of "direct" mail merge (without wizzard) to this button as it is already done with the button [Mail Merge], you can have in the standard tool bar. When restoring the old function, please let it be possible to use the marked records in "Table Data". Filters work, but you have to mark the records once again in the Mail Merge dialog. The option "Marked Records" (or so) is inactiv in SO 8 PP2. G. Marxen
Hi, I've voted many times for this issue 'cause it's really important for us to have, in addition to the mailing wizard, the 'old' way (Ooo version 1.1.5). We're often making big mailings ( 100000 personalized documents or more, selection of adresses by range of zip code with a named parameter sql request) and it's not possible to use the mailing wizard for that ( poor performances and sometimes crashes when to many letters) If you ask to 'print' the letter, you've the question to do a mailing ... but, it opens a new window which is to small, no resizable, no 'preview data in fields' option, you have to redo selection or sort already made in the data view (F4).... Ok, there's a workaround .... we have both version 1.1.5 and 2.0.3 on the workstation with often need to do big mailing. But, for me it's not a solution ... only a workaround. As already said by cloph in a previous message : What is more intuitive than the method used for years prior to version 2.0? Thanks for all your work !!!!
While it is true that one can add a keyboard shortcut for the "classic" form letter printing (AKA mail merge) with Tools - Costomize... - Keyboard - Category: Documents - Function: Mail Merge, and an icon to a toolbar with Tools - Costomize... - Toolbars - Add... - Category: Documents - Commands: Mail Merge, this surely is poor usability: I would expect to find the correspondent icon at least in the Visible Buttons menu of the Standard or Table Data toolbar. So, to bypass the mailmerge wizard, you can costomize the toolbars, which requires to know exactly what you are looking for, or to call File - Print..., and to answer the question "Do you want to print a form letter?" with yes, which requires to know exactly what you are doing. Either way is not very "intuitive". Furthermore, as issue 65071 describes, there is no way to recover the mail merge question in the printing dialogue, if you erraneously checked the "Don't show this warning again" option. My vote for having an entry for the "classic" form letter printing AKA mail merge in the menu by default (File menu, near Print?), and having a correspondent icon in the toolbar (Standard or Table Data?), even if the icon were not visible by default.
Hi, To summarize imho a good idea is : - Open a letter ( a new one or an already used one with merge fields) - Open data view / data beamer by pressing F4 (don't know name in english OOo version, I use french one) and choose the datasource. - If not previously done in the letter, drag merge fields in the letter - Use button to filter, order etc... the data source. - If you want use the button to preview the data in fields. - Click a merge button, choose printer, individuals files or single file, and start the merging process with the previously selected / filtered / sorted data source. I really think you have to redo this kind of merging approach beside the merge wizard. I say 'redo' because it's the way used for OOo 1.1.x. It's important for medium / big companies which doing mail merge on a regular basis. For this kind of job, we prepare document/letter the first time .... and the next times we need speed and efficiency as describes above. Issue 66614 seems to wish the same thing !
*** Issue 72049 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Christian, would you mind to comment on this issue. Two years are gone now since you have got it assigned to you. Of course "I don't care, go ahead" would suffice also.
If you intend to solve this by adding the icon for the "classic" form letter printing (AKA old mail merge) to the Table Data toolbar, note that the icon labelled "Mail Merge" (not "Mail Merge...") does not work here as expected (issue 70770).
Hi, Could you please set a target for this issue ? thanks - Sophie
Hello, Me again about this issue, because it's really important for us ( and I really think for many other company users)... What we want : 1) I open my form letter 2) I press F4 to have the "Data Sources" window 3) At this time, the data source "associated" with the form letter is selected 4) I enter parameters ( if data source is a parameterized query) 5) Possibily, I sort the rows, or select some of them with Ctrl-Clic 6) I press on a "simple mail merge button" which open the mail merge printing dialog ( choosing ouput (file or printer), records (all or selected) and the printer ) and .... that's all folks ;-) 7) In case of parameterized query ( zip code or country selection for example), I press on refresh button, enter new parameter, and go back to step 6 to print a new mailing. It was the mechanism in version 1.x ... In version 2.x ... step 6 is impossible ... You must choose between the useful , but sloooow ( and incompatible with parameterized queries), "mailing wizard", or the standard print dialog which offer a possibility of mail merge in case of form letter. In version 2.3 ... there is a little improvment with "print button" because now the mail merge window is resizable , but : - too many click (print button , dialog box "your document contains address database ..."). - you've to choose every time the data source ( association between form letter and data source isn't saved). - you've to resize the window (initial size is too small) each time - no way to use the "data to fields" button for a "preview" - in case of parameterized query, you must restart from "step 0" (print button) each time instead of "refresh" button. I'm really fan of OOo team work ... but I'm sad on this particular problem because I think you're really near the good solution since 2.0 version ... but I'm always waiting for this last step. The mailing wizard is good for small "one shot" mail merge but for most systematic mail merge works, I deeply think that the 1.x mechanism was more efficient. And efficiency is critical is all company / business...
Hi, Always nothing new about this issue ? Is it a really complicated thing to do ? Perhaps in 3.0 ? Thanks !
Hello, Is it possible to add the word "MailMerge" to the summary of this issue. It will be more convenient to find it while searching issues about mailmerge (mailing or "publipostage" are often use in french to talk about mailmerge , but for english reader I think mailmerge is a more understandable word.) Thanks ...
After a loonng time ... no real improvment in v3.3 rc.... One good thing : When using the print button and accept mail-merge ... filter and sort done before with "F4" are saved .... but only if merge fields are linked with tables in datasource. If merge fields are linked to query, when using "print button" you've to select the datasource ( while it is automatically selected is datasource is a table ...) Pretty annoying ....