Only get a red x after merging pictures

Anonymous
2010-04-14T02:24:00+00:00

My data source is an xlsx file and one field (PictureLocation) has the full path name of each jpg file I want to merge into a document.  I use this merge function:  {INCLUDEPICTURE "MERGEFIELD PictureLocation}"} which works fine except I only get a box with a small red x in upper left-hand corner where the picture should be.  I have tried F9, but to no avail.  What am I doing wrong or what have I set incorrectly?  I use VISTA and OFFICE 2007. dottybee

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Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2010-04-14T05:38:23+00:00

What is in the PictureLocation field?

The filepath separators need to be duplicated \ or you need to use / as a separator.

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  1. Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2010-07-02T14:01:35+00:00

    The \d (as explained earlier) results from linking to the file instead of embedding it. It is not necessary and probably not desirable in this instance.

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  2. Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2010-07-02T14:01:36+00:00

    Wherever "filename.jpg" has been mentioned, it has been as a generic reference to the actual name of the picture file. The name of the picture file (in the example you gave, it was "beverly rubik") is what you should be putting in your mail merge data source in the "pictures" column.

    In the mail merge main document, you should have, in the IncludePicture field, the entire path for a given picture. In this field, you substitute a merge field for the "pictures" field for the actual filename. So instead of

    { INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\Users\MIMI\Pictures\beverly rubik.jpg" \* MERGEFORMATINET }

    you would have

    { INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\Users\MIMI\Pictures\{ MERGEFIELD pictures }.jpg" \* MERGEFORMATINET }

    or

    { INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\Users\MIMI\Pictures\{ MERGEFIELD pictures }" \* MERGEFORMATINET}

    depending on whether or not you used "beverly rubik" or "beverly rubik.jpg" in your "pictures" field.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-07-02T16:52:27+00:00

    I don't know but I think I've got this part correct -

    filenames = brian.jpg

    path = c:\users\mimi\pictures

    data source field name = brian, jim, melinda and the extensions = they all work as far as I can tell, so using Susan's preference of no extension seems logical but if you want I can make them .jpg

    data source actual information = brian.jpg

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-07-02T16:58:35+00:00

    Can I just copy this entire string and paste it in my main merge document because I think this is the exact point in which I am straying.  Or do I need to create the string by starting with ctl-f9?  And I changed all pictures to reflect only first name so beverly.jpg, etc. in response to Doug's reply a few moments ago.

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