MS-Word Mail Merge component for Delphi 5

1. Description

Via this component, your application can easily create Word documents with application generated contents. The component will open a Word template file (document), and link (merge) the field data from your application to a new generated document.

2. Requirements

3. Sample scenario and code

1. Start Word, and open or create a document.
2. Insert mailmerge fields on locations where you want database fields: menu "Insert -> Field. A form appears with 2 listboxes and an input field which contains the text "=". Replace the "=" by the text "Mergefield FirstName". Firstname is your own field name, we will use this fieldname in the delphi application. Close the form by activating the "OK" button. The text <> appears in your document.
3. The rest of the Word stuff is easy now you know how to insert fields in your document. Finish up your document with some more fields and text, and close it.
4. Put the MailMerge unit in the Uses list of your Delphi unit.
   Create the component and setup the properties. Set the 'columns' property to something like 'firstname;lastname;amountdue;employeename'. Add all records from your query to the component:

       MailMerge.Columns := 'firstname;lastname;amountdue;employeename';
       YourQuery.First;
       while not YourQuery.EOF do
       begin
         MailMerge.Append;
         MailMerge('firstname') := sqlYourQueryFirstname.Value; // (from a TStringField component)
         MailMerge('lastname') := sqlYourQueryLastname.Value;
         MailMerge('employeename') := tblSession.EmployeeName;
         //etc
       end;
       

5. Set the document name property in your component, eg:

       MailMerge.DocumentName := 'c:\my documents\test merge.doc';
     

6. Optionally, set the OnStatusMessage event:

       MailMerge.OnStatusMessage := MailMergeStatusMessage;
       .....
       procedure MailMergeStatusMessage(Sender: TObject);
       begin
         StatusBar1.SimpleText := TMailMerge(Sender).StatusMessage;
       end;
     

7. Start the mail merge:

       MailMerge.Merge;
     

   Word will launch, and a temporary datasource document will be generated by the component. The template will opened and merged with the datasource document. The result comes in a new document, and can be accessed via the component's WordDoc interface. (Eg: MailMerge.WordDoc.Print and MailMerge.WordDoc.Close)

4. Download the freeware component

A demo application is included. There is no 'register' procedure, just create the component runtime or add your own register function...

5. About the author