How To Automate Microsoft Word to Perform a Mail Merge Using Visual C++ and MFC (220911)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Learning Edition 6.0
  • Microsoft Word 2002
  • Microsoft Word 2000
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q220911

SUMMARY

This article demonstrates how to create and manipulate a Word document using Automation from Visual C++ and MFC.

MORE INFORMATION

This article parallels a Knowledge Base article that describes the same process using Visual Basic. For more information regarding Automation of Word from Visual Basic, please see the following article:

220607 How To Automate Microsoft Word to Perform Mail Merge from Visual Basic

Building the Automation Sample

  1. Follow steps 1 through 12 in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

    178749 How To Create an Automation Project Using MFC and a Type Library

    NOTE: In step 9, choose the correct type library for the version of Word you are automating. See the references section below for information on finding the correctly type library.
  2. Add the include statement for the header file that was created above (either msword8.h, msword9.h or msword.h) in AutoProjectDlg.cpp after the include statement for stdafx.h. An example for Word 97 would be: 
       #include "stdafx.h"
   #include "msword8.h"
  3. Add Automation code to the CAutoProjectDlg::OnRun() so that it appears as shown below:
    void CAutoProjectDlg::OnRun()
{
	_Application oWord;
	Documents oDocs;
	_Document oDoc;
	Selection oSelection;
	Paragraphs oParagraphs;
	Tables oTables;
	Table oTable;
	Range oRange;
	Columns oColumns;
	Column oColumn;
	Rows oRows;
	Row oRow;

	Cells oCells;
	Cell oCell; 
	Shading oShading;
	Hyperlinks oHyperlinks;
	MailMerge oMailMerge;
	MailMergeFields oMailMergeFields;
	COleVariant vtOptional((long)DISP_E_PARAMNOTFOUND,VT_ERROR),
		        vtTrue((short)TRUE),
				vtFalse((short)FALSE);
	CString StrToAdd;

	// Create an instance of Word
	if (!oWord.CreateDispatch("Word.Application")) {
		AfxMessageBox("Word failed to start!");
	} else {
	// Set the visible property
	oWord.SetVisible(TRUE);
	// Add a new document
	oDocs = oWord.GetDocuments();
	oDoc = oDocs.Add(vtOptional,vtOptional);

	CreateMailMergeDataFile(&oWord,&oDoc);
	// Add the address header

	StrToAdd = "State University\r\nElectrical Engineering " \ 
		       "Department";
	oSelection = oWord.GetSelection();

	oParagraphs = oSelection.GetParagraphs();
	oParagraphs.SetAlignment(1);  // 1 = wdAlignParagraphCenter  
	oSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);

	InsertLines(&oSelection,4);

	oParagraphs.SetAlignment(0);  // 0 = wdAlignParagraphLeft
	oMailMerge = oDoc.GetMailMerge();
	oMailMergeFields = oMailMerge.GetFields();
	oMailMergeFields.Add(oSelection.GetRange(),"FirstName");
	oSelection.TypeText(" ");
	oMailMergeFields.Add(oSelection.GetRange(),"LastName");
	oSelection.TypeParagraph();
	oMailMergeFields.Add(oSelection.GetRange(),"Address");
	oSelection.TypeParagraph();
	oMailMergeFields.Add(oSelection.GetRange(),"CityStateZip");

	InsertLines(&oSelection,4);
	// Set the paragraph alignment to Right justified
	oParagraphs = oSelection.GetParagraphs();

	oParagraphs.SetAlignment(2);  // 2 = wdAlignParagraphRight
	// Insert the current date
	oSelection.InsertDateTime(COleVariant("dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy"),\ 
		 vtFalse,vtOptional);

	InsertLines(&oSelection,2);

	// Reset the justification to Justify

	oParagraphs = oSelection.GetParagraphs();
	oParagraphs.SetAlignment(3);  // 3 = wdAlignParagraphJustify

	oSelection.TypeText("Dear ");
	oMailMergeFields.Add(oSelection.GetRange(),"FirstName");
	oSelection.TypeText(",");

	InsertLines(&oSelection,2);

	// Add the body of the message
	StrToAdd = "Thank you for your recent request for next " \ 
	       "semester's class schedule for the Electrical " \ 
	       "Engineering Department.  Enclosed with this letter " \ 
	       "is a booklet containing all the classes offered " \ 
	       "next semester at State University.  Several new " \ 
	       "classes will be offered in the Electrical " \ 
   	       "Engineering Department next semester.  These " \ 
	       "classes are listed below.";
	oSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);

	InsertLines(&oSelection,2);
	
	// Add a new table with 9 rows and 4 columns
	oRange = oSelection.GetRange();
	oTables = oDoc.GetTables();
	oTable = oTables.Add(oRange,9,4);

	// Set the width of each column
	oColumns = oTable.GetColumns();
	oColumn = oColumns.Item(1);
	oColumn.SetWidth(51.0,0);  // 0 = wdAdjustNone
	oColumn = oColumns.Item(2);
	oColumn.SetWidth(198.0,0);  // 0 = wdAdjustNone
	oColumn = oColumns.Item(3);
	oColumn.SetWidth(100.0,0);  // 0 = wdAdjustNone
	oColumn = oColumns.Item(4);
	oColumn.SetWidth(111.0,0);  // 0 = wdAdjustNone

	// Set the shading for row 1 to wdGray25
	oRows = oTable.GetRows();
	oRow = oRows.Item(1);
	oCells = oRow.GetCells();
	oShading = oCells.GetShading();
	oShading.SetBackgroundPatternColorIndex(16); // 16 = wdGray25

	// Turn on BOLD for the first row
	oRange = oRow.GetRange();
	oRange.SetBold(TRUE);

	// Set the alignment for cell (1,1) to center
	oCell = oTable.Cell(1,1);
	oRange = oCell.GetRange();
	oParagraphs = oRange.GetParagraphs();
	oParagraphs.SetAlignment(1);  // 1 = wdAlignParagraphCenter

	// Fill in the class schedule data
	FillRow(&oTable,1,"Class Number","Class Name",\ 
		"Class Time","Instructor");	
	FillRow(&oTable,2, "EE220", "Introduction to Electronics II", \ 
		"1:00-2:00 M,W,F", "Dr. Jensen");
	FillRow(&oTable,3, "EE230", "Electromagnetic Field Theory I", \ 
		"10:00-11:30 T,T", "Dr. Crump");
	FillRow(&oTable,4, "EE300", "Feedback Control Systems", \ 
		"9:00-10:00 M,W,F", "Dr. Murdy");
	FillRow(&oTable,5, "EE325", "Advanced Digital Design", \ 
		"9:00-10:30 T,T", "Dr. Alley");
	FillRow(&oTable,6, "EE350", "Advanced Communication Systems", \ 
		"9:00-10:30 T,T", "Dr. Taylor");
	FillRow(&oTable,7, "EE400", "Advanced Microwave Theory", \ 
		"1:00-2:30 T,T", "Dr. Lee");
	FillRow(&oTable,8, "EE450", "Plasma Theory", \ 
		"1:00-2:00 M,W,F", "Dr. Davis");
	FillRow(&oTable,9, "EE500", "Principles of VLSI Design", \ 
		"3:00-4:00 M,W,F", "Dr. Ellison");

	// Go to the end of the document
	oSelection.GoTo(COleVariant((short)3), // 3 = wdGoToLine
	COleVariant((short)-1),vtOptional,vtOptional);  // -1 = wdGoToLast

	InsertLines(&oSelection,2);

	// Add closing text
	StrToAdd = "For additional information regarding the " \ 
             "Department of Electrical Engineering, " \ 
             "you can visit our website at ";
	oSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);

	// Add a hyperlink to the homepage
	oHyperlinks = oSelection.GetHyperlinks();
	oHyperlinks.Add(oSelection.GetRange(),\ 
		COleVariant("http://www.ee.stateu.tld"),vtOptional);

	// Finish adding closing text
	StrToAdd = ".  Thank you for your interest in the classes " \ 
             "offered in the Department of Electrical " \ 
             "Engineering.  If you have any other questions, " \ 
             "please feel free to give us a call at (999) " \ 
             "555-1212.\r\n\r\n" \ 
             "Sincerely,\r\n\r\n" \ 
             "Kathryn M. Hinsch\r\n" \ 
             "Department of Electrical Engineering\r\n";
	oSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);

	// Perform mail merge
	oMailMerge.SetDestination(0); // 0 = wdSendToNewDocument
	oMailMerge.Execute(vtFalse);

	// Close the original form document
	oDoc.SetSaved(TRUE);
	oDoc.Close(vtFalse,vtOptional,vtOptional);
  
	}
}
  4. Insert the following code above in the code given in step 3:
    void InsertLines(Selection *pSelection, int NumLines)
{
	int iCount;

	// Insert NumLines blank lines
	for (iCount = 1; iCount <= NumLines; iCount++)
		pSelection->TypeParagraph();
}

void FillRow(Table *pTable,int Row, CString Text1, 
			 CString Text2, CString Text3, CString Text4)
{
	Cell oCell;
	Range oRange;

	// Insert data into the specific cell
	oCell = pTable->Cell(Row,1);
	oRange = oCell.GetRange();
	oRange.InsertAfter(Text1);
	oCell = pTable->Cell(Row,2);
	oRange = oCell.GetRange();
	oRange.InsertAfter(Text2);
	oCell = pTable->Cell(Row,3);
	oRange = oCell.GetRange();
	oRange.InsertAfter(Text3);
	oCell = pTable->Cell(Row,4);
	oRange = oCell.GetRange();
	oRange.InsertAfter(Text4);

}

void CreateMailMergeDataFile(_Application *pApp,_Document *pDoc)
{
  _Document oDataDoc;
  MailMerge oMailMerge;
  Documents oDocs;
  Tables oTables;
  Table oTable;
  Rows oRows;
  int iCount;
  COleVariant vtOptional((long)DISP_E_PARAMNOTFOUND,VT_ERROR),
				vtFalse((short)FALSE);
  
  // Create a data source at C:\DataDoc.doc containing the field data
  oMailMerge = pDoc->GetMailMerge();
  oMailMerge.CreateDataSource(COleVariant("C:\\DataDoc.doc"), \ 
        vtOptional,vtOptional, \ 
        COleVariant("FirstName, LastName, Address,CityStateZip"),\ 
        vtOptional, vtOptional,vtOptional,vtOptional,vtOptional);
  // Open the file to insert data
  oDocs = pApp->GetDocuments();
  oDataDoc = oDocs.Open(COleVariant("C:\\DataDoc.doc"), \ 
       vtOptional,vtOptional,vtOptional,vtOptional,\ 
       vtOptional,vtOptional,vtOptional,vtOptional,\ 
       vtOptional);
  oTables = oDataDoc.GetTables();
  oTable = oTables.Item(1);
  oRows = oTable.GetRows();
  for (iCount=1; iCount<=2; iCount++)  
    oRows.Add(vtOptional);

  // Fill in the data
  FillRow(&oTable, 2, "Steve", "DeBroux", \ 
        "4567 Main Street", "Buffalo, NY  98052");
  FillRow(&oTable, 3, "Jan", "Miksovsky", \ 
        "1234 5th Street", "Charlotte, NC  98765");
  FillRow(&oTable, 4, "Brian", "Valentine", \ 
        "12348 78th Street  Apt. 214", "Lubbock, TX  25874");
  // Save and close the file
  oDataDoc.Save();
  oDataDoc.Close(vtFalse,vtOptional,vtOptional);
}
  5. Compile and run your program. Click the Run button and Microsoft Word should start and display a sample letter. Note that some methods have changed with Word 2000 and Word 2002. Please see the references section below for information on the changes.

REFERENCES

Notes for Automating Microsoft Word 2000 and Microsoft Word 2002

Some methods and properties have changed for Microsoft Word 2000 and Microsoft Word 2002. For additional information about using the sample code described in this article with the Microsoft Word type library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

224925 Type Libraries for Office May Change with New Release

For more information on Office Automation, please visit the Microsoft Office Development support site at:

http://support.microsoft.com/ofd

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/23/2005
Keywords:kbAutomation kbhowto KB220911
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