How To Automate Word to Perform Mail Merge from Delphi (229310)

MORE INFORMATION

This article parallels two articles that describe the same process using Visual C++ and Visual Basic. For more information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Building the Automation Sample

1. Start Delphi. A new project should be created by default.
2. Add a button to Form1.
3. Replace the contents of the code window for Unit1 with the following:

   unit Unit1;
   
   interface
   
   uses
     Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs,
     StdCtrls;
   
   type
     TForm1 = class(TForm)
       Button1: TButton;
       procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
       procedure InsertLines(LineNum : Integer);
       procedure CreateMailMergeDataFile;
       procedure FillRow(Doc : Variant; Row : Integer;
                    Text1,Text2,Text3,Text4 : String);
     private
       { Private declarations }
   
     public
       wrdApp, wrdDoc: Variant;
       { Public declarations }
     end;
   
   var
     Form1: TForm1;
   
   implementation
   
   uses ComObj;
   
   Const wdAlignParagraphLeft = 0;
   Const wdAlignParagraphCenter = 1;
   Const wdAlignParagraphRight = 2;
   Const wdAlignParagraphJustify = 3;
   Const wdAdjustNone = 0;
   Const wdGray25 = 16;
   Const wdGoToLine = 3;
   Const wdGoToLast = -1;
   Const wdSendToNewDocument = 0;
   
   {$R *.DFM}
   
   procedure TForm1.InsertLines(LineNum : Integer);
   var
     iCount : Integer;
   begin
     for iCount := 1 to LineNum do
        wrdApp.Selection.TypeParagraph;
   end;
   
   procedure TForm1.FillRow(Doc : Variant; Row : Integer;
                    Text1,Text2,Text3,Text4 : String);
   
   begin
     Doc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(Row,1).Range.InsertAfter(Text1);
     Doc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(Row,2).Range.InsertAfter(Text2);
     Doc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(Row,3).Range.InsertAfter(Text3);
     Doc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(Row,4).Range.InsertAfter(Text4);
   end;
   
   procedure TForm1.CreateMailMergeDataFile;
   var
     wrdDataDoc : Variant;
     iCount : Integer;
   begin
     // Create a data source at C:\DataDoc.doc containing the field data
     wrdDoc.MailMerge.CreateDataSource('C:\DataDoc.doc',,,'FirstName, LastName,' +
          ' Address, CityStateZip');
     // Open the file to insert data
     wrdDataDoc := wrdApp.Documents.Open('C:\DataDoc.doc');
     for iCount := 1 to 2 do
       wrdDataDoc.Tables.Item(1).Rows.Add;
     // Fill in the data
     FillRow(wrdDataDoc, 2, 'Steve', 'DeBroux',
           '4567 Main Street', 'Buffalo, NY  98052');
     FillRow(wrdDataDoc, 3, 'Jan', 'Miksovsky',
           '1234 5th Street', 'Charlotte, NC  98765');
     FillRow(wrdDataDoc, 4, 'Brian', 'Valentine',
           '12348 78th Street  Apt. 214', 'Lubbock, TX  25874');
     // Save and close the file
     wrdDataDoc.Save;
     wrdDataDoc.Close(False);
   end;
   
   procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
   var
     StrToAdd : String;
     wrdSelection, wrdMailMerge, wrdMergeFields : Variant;
   begin
     // Create an instance of Word and make it visible
     wrdApp := CreateOleObject('Word.Application');
     wrdApp.Visible := True;
     // Create a new document
     wrdDoc := wrdApp.Documents.Add();
     wrdDoc.Select;
   
     wrdSelection := wrdApp.Selection;
     wrdMailMerge := wrdDoc.MailMerge;
   
     // Create MailMerge data file
     CreateMailMergeDataFile;
   
   
     // Create a string and insert it into the document
     StrToAdd := 'State University' + Chr(13) +
                 'Electrical Engineering Department';
     wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment := wdAlignParagraphCenter;
     wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);
   
     InsertLines(4);
   
     // Insert Merge Data
     wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment := wdAlignParagraphLeft;
     wrdMergeFields := wrdMailMerge.Fields;
   
     wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'FirstName');
     wrdSelection.TypeText(' ');
     wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'LastName');
     wrdSelection.TypeParagraph;
     wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'Address');
     wrdSelection.TypeParagraph;
     wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'CityStateZip');
   
     InsertLines(2);
   
     // Right justify the line and insert a date field with
     // the current date
     wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment := wdAlignParagraphRight;
     wrdSelection.InsertDateTime('dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy',False);
   
     InsertLines(2);
   
     // Justify the rest of the document
     wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment := wdAlignParagraphJustify;
   
     wrdSelection.TypeText('Dear ');
     wrdMergeFields.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'FirstName');
   
     wrdSelection.TypeText(',');
     InsertLines(2);
   
     // Create a string and insert it into the document
     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.';
     wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);
   
     InsertLines(2);
   
     // Insert a new table with 9 rows and 4 columns
     wrdDoc.Tables.Add(wrdSelection.Range,9,4);
     wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Columns.Item(1).SetWidth(51,wdAdjustNone);
     wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Columns.Item(2).SetWidth(170,wdAdjustNone);
     wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Columns.Item(3).SetWidth(100,wdAdjustNone);
     wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Columns.Item(4).SetWidth(111,wdAdjustNone);
     // Set the shading on the first row to light gray
   
     wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Rows.Item(1).Cells
         .Shading.BackgroundPatternColorIndex := wdGray25;
     // BOLD the first row
     wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Rows.Item(1).Range.Bold := True;
     // Center the text in Cell (1,1)
     wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1).Cell(1,1).Range.Paragraphs.Alignment :=
           wdAlignParagraphCenter;
   
     // Fill each row of the table with data
     FillRow(wrdDoc, 1, 'Class Number', 'Class Name', 'Class Time', 
        'Instructor');
     FillRow(wrdDoc, 2, 'EE220', 'Introduction to Electronics II',
        '1:00-2:00 M,W,F', 'Dr. Jensen');
     FillRow(wrdDoc, 3, 'EE230', 'Electromagnetic Field Theory I',
        '10:00-11:30 T,T', 'Dr. Crump');
     FillRow(wrdDoc, 4, 'EE300', 'Feedback Control Systems',
        '9:00-10:00 M,W,F', 'Dr. Murdy');
     FillRow(wrdDoc, 5, 'EE325', 'Advanced Digital Design',
        '9:00-10:30 T,T', 'Dr. Alley');
     FillRow(wrdDoc, 6, 'EE350', 'Advanced Communication Systems',
        '9:00-10:30 T,T', 'Dr. Taylor');
     FillRow(wrdDoc, 7, 'EE400', 'Advanced Microwave Theory',
        '1:00-2:30 T,T', 'Dr. Lee');
     FillRow(wrdDoc, 8, 'EE450', 'Plasma Theory',
        '1:00-2:00 M,W,F', 'Dr. Davis');
     FillRow(wrdDoc, 9, 'EE500', 'Principles of VLSI Design',
        '3:00-4:00 M,W,F', 'Dr. Ellison');
   
     // Go to the end of the document
   
     wrdApp.Selection.GoTo(wdGotoLine,wdGoToLast);
     InsertLines(2);
   
     // Create a string and insert it into the document
     StrToAdd := 'For additional information regarding the ' +
                'Department of Electrical Engineering, ' +
                'you can visit our website at ';
     wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);
     // Insert a hyperlink to the web page
     wrdSelection.Hyperlinks.Add(wrdSelection.Range,'http://www.ee.stateu.tld');
     // Create a string and insert it into the document
     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 ' +
                '555-1212.' + Chr(13) + Chr(13) +
                'Sincerely,' + Chr(13) + Chr(13) +
                'Kathryn M. Hinsch' + Chr(13) +
                'Department of Electrical Engineering' + Chr(13);
     wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd);
   
     // Perform mail merge
     wrdMailMerge.Destination := wdSendToNewDocument;
     wrdMailMerge.Execute(False);
   
     // Close the original form document
     wrdDoc.Saved := True;
     wrdDoc.Close(False);
   
     // Notify the user we are done.
     ShowMessage('Mail Merge Complete.');
   
     // Clean up temp file
     DeleteFile('C:\DataDoc.doc');
   
   end;
   
   end.
   						

4. Press the F9 key to run the project. Click the button and Microsoft Word should start and display a sample letter.

NOTE: Delphi is manufactured by Borland (Inprise Corporation), a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance of reliability. Contact Inprise for any developer support regarding the Delphi language.