I have data in several fields that I want to combine into one field with some static text so I can export the combined fields and text to an ASCII text file. I have tried to merge the necessary fields into one field that can be exported but that does not work as the merge fields are exported as text (<<merge field>>) and not as the value of the merge field.
I have tried to place the text on a layout and insert the data from the fields that need to be combined (like a mail merge thing) but then I cannot see a way to export both the text from the layout and the data.
There must be an easier way to do this that I am missing. Can anyone give me an example of the best way to proceed?
Do it by AppleScript. Get the values of the separate fields by script, combine them however you want, and write to a text file, also by script. (You could also put your combined text into the contact notes if you wanted to, also by script.)
If you don't know how to do this in AppleScript, you could just export your contacts as they are, in File/Export/Contacts to a text file. Import that file into Excel, do whatever manipulation you want there (which might or might not be easy) and re-save as tab-text file. However, that pre-supposes you want to export all your contacts, which is all that Entourage will do.
Alternatively, you could get my shareware scripts "Export-Import Entourage X" from
MacScripter.net <http://macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/>
That lets you export just a selection of contacts, or by category, or various other filters. It also has scripts for getting them into Excel and for merging columns there. I've just discovered that there are bad bugs with Excel 10.1.5's AppleScripting, so you might need to remove and reinstall Office v. X and re-upgrade only to 10.1.2 or maybe 10.1.4, to use those latter Excel scripts. The Entourage export scripts work fine in all versions. (You can also re-import back into Entourage if you want.)
--
Paul Berkowitz
MVP Entourage
Entourage FAQ Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/toc.html>
AppleScripts for Entourage: <http://macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/>
PLEASE always state which version of Entourage you are using - 2001 or X. It's often impossible to answer your questions otherwise.
