Works: Using Select All When Copying Database Replaces Target (88802)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Works 2.0
  • Microsoft Works 2.0a
  • Microsoft Works 3.0
  • Microsoft Works 3.0a
  • Microsoft Works 3.0b
This article was previously published under Q88802

SUMMARY

In Works for Windows 2.0x and 3.0x, using Select All when copying from the List view of one database to another will cause the destination database to be overwritten. This behavior does not occur in Works version 4.0 for Windows 95 and later.

Works for Windows Version 3.0

If you are merging two databases together and use the Select All command from the Edit menu, the entire destination database will be replaced by the source database. Using this same technique, if you position your cursor in the next blank record of the destination document and try to paste the source database file, Works 3.0 will prevent you from completing this step and return the following message:

"Source and destination areas are different shapes.."

To merge two database files, you must manually select the information in the first database before you copy it to the second database.

Works for Windows Version 2.x

If you are merging two databases together and from the Select menu choose All, you will replace the information in the destination database with the information copied from source database. Even if you place your cursor in the next blank record, the destination database will still be replaced with the data in the source database.

To merge two database files, you must manually select the information in the first database before you copy it to the second database.

MORE INFORMATION

To copy information from one database file to another database file, do the following:

  1. Open both database files.
  2. In both database files, choose List from the View menu to place both database files in list view.
  3. Press the F8 key and use the UP ARROW, DOWN ARROW, and LEFT and RIGHT ARROW keys to manually select all the records in the source database file (database 1.) You can also select all the records by pressing CTRL+HOME and then CTRL+SHIFT+END.
  4. From the Edit menu, choose Copy.
  5. Open the destination database file (database 2) by choosing its filename from the Window menu.
  6. Move the cursor to the end of the destination database file (database 2.)
  7. From the Edit menu, select Paste.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/6/2003
Keywords:KB88802
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.