[Hidden-tech] help populating mailing label template from spreadsheet(?) with names & addresses using OpenOffice

[Robert Heller]

At Wed, 9 Dec 2009 09:54:20 -0500 andrew bellak <andrew at bellak.name> wrote:

> 
>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> Dear H-T,
> 
> Happy snow day to one and all!
> 
> This is for a personal project  that has business use as well.  The
> missus suggested we create mailing labels for holiday cards this year
> to save time in years to come . . .
> 
> Getting a 'Word' template from Avery Labels that has appropriate
> tables for the size of the labels/sheets was no problem.
> 
> Finding the instructions for how to get the spreadsheet / database
> fields to the correct location within the 'Word' table has proved not
> so easy to find.
> 
> If someone could tell us step-by-step instructions and/or find a
> guide, that would be appreciated.
> 
> CAVEAT - we're using OpenOffice NOT MS Word/Excel, however, we can
> save files as MS Word XP and Excel XP.
> 
> One article I found says that using a database file instead of a calc
> (excel) file works better in OpenOffice.
> http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/mail_merge_openoffice_org
> 
> My attempts with the Mail Merge Wizard did not work well so far.
> 
> Gracias!

Visit:

http://www.deepsoft.com/home/oddsandends/

and download DirectMailTk.

Using oowriter / oocalc (or MS Word/Excel) for this purpose is like
using an hammer and a cold chisel to screw(?) in screws.  Yes, it
works, but it is really the wrong set of tools...

> 
> Andrew

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software        -- Download the Model Railroad System
http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Binaries for Linux and MS-Windows
heller at deepsoft.com       -- http://www.deepsoft.com/ModelRailroadSystem/