WD97: Address in Envelopes and Labels Is Blank or Includes Date/Text (197198)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

This article was previously published under Q197198

SYMPTOMS

When your letter or document contains an address and you click Envelopes and Labels on the Tools menu, the proposed address on the Envelope or Label tab may be blank, or it may include a date or other text.

CAUSE

Word will not propose the correct address in the Envelopes or Labels tab for the following reasons:

NOTE: Non-printing characters used in this article:

Non-printing Character

Description

Press These Keys

     

Paragraph Mark

ENTER

Space

SPACE BAR

 - 

Tab

TAB



To view the non-printing characters in your Word document, either click the Show/Hide () button on the Standard toolbar, or click Options on the Tools menu, then on the View tab, click to select the All check box and click OK.

Case 1: An Address Line Is Blank

An address line is blank. For example, the street address is missing as in the following example:


Microsoft Corporation

Redmond, WA. 98052-6399

Case 2: The Address Contains Fields, Spaces, Tabs, Indentation, or Centered/Right-Alignment

This problem may occur for the following reasons:
  • The address lines include a field. For example, the last address line includes a DATE or TIME field:


    Microsoft Corporation
    One Microsoft Way
    Redmond, WA. 98052-6399  -    -    -    -    -  {DATE}


    -or-
  • One or more of the address lines include multiple spaces:


    Microsoft Corporation
    One Microsoft Way
    Redmond, WA. 98052-6399


    -or-
  • The address lines begin with a tab:


      -  Microsoft Corporation
      -  One Microsoft Way
      -  Redmond, WA. 98052-6399


    -or-
  • The address lines begin with a large indentation.



    Microsoft Corporation
    One Microsoft Way
    Redmond, WA. 98052-6399





    NOTE: Indentations greater than 1 inch usually cause this problem. To apply an indentation, do one of the following:
    • Click the Increase Indent button on the Formatting toolbar.

      -or-
    • On the Format menu, click Paragraph and then on the Indents and Spacing tab, set the Indentation Left to the value you want.
    -or-
  • The address is Centered-Aligned:

    Microsoft Corporation
    One Microsoft Way
    Redmond, WA. 98052-6399



    -or-
  • The address is Right-Aligned:

    Microsoft Corporation
    One Microsoft Way
    Redmond, WA. 98052-6399

Case 3: Word Proposes an Address That Includes Too Much Text

This problem occurs when any of the lines of the address include text that is separated from the address by tabs or if text or the DATE field (or any other field) is immediately above or below the address.

This problem may occur when you do any of the following:
  • On the last line of the address, you press the TAB key several times, and then the date is entered as text:


    Microsoft Corporation
    One Microsoft Way
    Redmond, WA 98052-6399  -    -    -    -    -  November 10, 1997


    -or-
  • When the date (or other text) is on a line immediately above or below the address:


    November 10, 1997
    Microsoft Corporation
    One Microsoft Way
    Redmond, WA 98052-6399


    -or-
  • When the Date (or other field) is on a line immediately above or below the address:


    {DATE}
    Microsoft Corporation
    One Microsoft Way
    Redmond, WA. 98052-6399

Case 4: Word Proposes Only the First Line of the Address

This problem may occur when the paragraph that contains the address is formatted with Before or After spacing.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do one of the following:
  • Remove any fields, spaces, tabs, or indentations from the address lines.

    NOTE: Using fewer than 40 spaces, or indentations of 1 inch or less, seems to work fine.

    -or-
  • Type the date (or other text), or insert the DATE field (or other field), either above or below the address lines, separating the text or field from the address lines by a blank line.

    NOTE: Do not include any additional text, fields, tabs, spaces, or indentations on the same lines as the address.

    -or-
  • Select the address paragraphs and press CTRL+Q on the keyboard. This resets the paragraph formatting. Or, on the Format menu, click Paragraph, click to select the Indents and Spacing tab and change the Before and After setting to Zero (0).

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/28/2002
Keywords:kbenvelope kbmerge kbprb KB197198