Only get a red x after merging pictures

Hi Suzanne,

FWIW anyone who is not working in compatibility mode will not see the INClUDEPICTURE field when you insert pictures or links from the user interface in the usual way - all they see is a picture, and Alt-F9 does not show them the field. In fact, in this case, Word does not even store a field code, at least inthe .docx format, but is capable of dynamically creating onefrom the image's path info. if the user happens to save the document back as .doc format.

AFAIK in this situation you need to insert the field manually in the traditional way, or maybe keep a suitable set of fields in an AUTOTEXT for easy insertion.

Peter

<<

2. In order to get the path right in the mail merge main document, you

insert any one of the pictures using the "Link to file" option. Where you

select this will depend on what version of Word you're using, but doing so

will ensure that you get an IncludePicture field that you can view. As noted

it will be something like this:

{ INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\Documents and Settings\ProfileName\My Documents\My

Pictures\RésuméPhotos\Jones.jpg" \d }.

>>

AFAICS it only works that way when the document you are working on is in compatibility mode. If it isn't, all you get to see is the Picture, and using e.g. Alt-F9 does not reveal a field code.

Peter Jamieson

Okay, I wasn't sure what version you were using, so I couldn't give you specific instructions. In Word 2007, select the Insert tab and click on the Picture button in the Illustrations group. This will open an Explorer window that will, by default, show the My Pictures folder. Navigate to the folder where your pictures are stored and select one of them. Click the down arrow beside Insert and choose "Link to File."

And what's a "link to file"?

I mean, really, why can't I just click on the question mark in WORD and be taken to the WORD specific help/search and not be given OFFICE answers for all products?  I used to be so much easier when HELP just took you took an INDEX, showed you how to find whatever you needed and a user could just move on and keep working.  MVPs wHile I appreciate your patience and knowledge, this process is slow.  I even have the Word 2007 bible and in the index, nothing about merging pictures into a doc, nothing that helps me find out how to link to file, just a definition which, in my opinion, link to file is pretty self definitive.  But where is it in the software - Just tell me that and I can move on... 

I mean, I'm so frustrated at my inability to help myself that it seems like 10 years ago a person without a technical background could self-teach alot easier than today.  Am I the only person out here who thinks this new way of learning isn't as great for a beginner as it was before?  Basically, note to Microsoft, you're really turning me off on learning new versions of software and if there were an alternative s/w that ppl were using, I'd be switching.  Forget about Word 2010.

Right. I didn't read all of your post, but you were suggesting putting the entire path in the data source. I see you did later suggest putting just the changeable part, which was my suggestion.

I looked at Cindy's article and concluded that, if I didn't already know how to do this, I would not be able to figure it out from Cindy's instructions.