WD: Smart Quotes in Data Source Appear in Mail Merge

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a

SYMPTOMS

If you have the "Change 'Straight Quotes' to 'Smart Quotes'" option selected and you create a comma-delimited data source for Mail Merge, all fields but the first field will be printed with the smart quote showing. (To locate the "Change 'Straight Quotes'..." option, click AutoCorrect on the Tools menu.)

This problem occurs only if you have created the data source manually in Word and the "Change 'Straight Quotes'..." option is selected. This will not occur if you use Mail Merge Helper to create the data file.

CAUSE

When smart quotes are used, Word places opening (beginning) smart quotes only after white space (a normal or nonbreaking space, a tab, or a paragraph mark). Word will not insert opening smart quotes immediately after a comma. Instead, Word inserts a closing smart quote after each comma. This restriction causes all the closing smart quotes that are not paired with a preceding opening smart quote, to be considered part of the data and, therefore, they are not printed.

WORKAROUND

Do not use smart quotes when you manually create a data source in Word. To eliminate smart quotes with an existing data source document, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click AutoCorrect.

2. Click to Clear the "Change 'Straight Quotes' to 'Smart Quotes'" check box and click OK.

3. On the Edit menu, click Replace.

4. In the Find text box, type ^0148.

5. In the Replace With text box, type ", and click Replace All.

6. In the Find Text box, type ^0147.

7. In the Replace With text box, type ", and click Replace All.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Word versions listed above. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Word for Windows 95, version 7.0 and Word 98 Macintosh Edition.