How to provide Word merge operations

What is the Word merge feature?

Advanced feature Through a standard flow action, your application can convert Field Codes in a Microsoft Word document of DOC file format to the values of corresponding properties on the clipboard, during the production of correspondence.

Prerequisites and restrictions

This capability requires an ActiveX control and so works with Internet Explorer browsers only, and requires one of: Microsoft Word 2002, 2003, 2007, or 2010.

At runtime, using this feature requires substantial memory on the workstation.

Word 2007 and 2010 on Vista and Windows 7: When running in one of these configurations, each application end user who you expect to use Word merge operations when accessing your application in their browser must complete certain steps on their workstations before using your application's Word merge operations. Otherwise, they might see browser error messages when using your application's Word merge operations in their browsers. See the section How to set up Microsoft word for inline display or editing — Word 2007 and 2010 on Vista and Windows 7.

Example

You can review this capability using two flow actions included in the sample flow PegaSample.WordEmbedMergeTest.

The first flow action PegaSample.EmbedWordTextAreaSet supports inline editing for three properties: pyDescription, pyMyEdits, and pyNewFormula.

The second flow action PegaSample.CreateMergedWordDoc searches these property values — each a Word document — for Field Codes that represent clipboard properties, and merges in the current values. You can also insert HTML code from correspondence rules, images from binary file rules, and other text as Field Codes.

How to configure clipboard merge operations

Create an attachment category for the document. About Attachment Category rules.
Design the appearance of the document.
Create a Rule-Template-Word rule.
In the Word Template rule form, click Edit Word Template to open a blank Word document in the Word installed on your workstation.
Using Microsoft Word, compose your document.
In Word, turn on the setting to show field codes instead of their values. (The steps to do this vary depending on your version of Word. The checkbox is typically in the Options > Advanced or Options > View set of option settings.)
At the appropriate locations in the document, insert fields using one or more of these field codes as appropriate. (This are field codes, not JSP tags, though the syntax is similar.)

Syntax	Result during clipboard merge
{pega:reference propertyreference }	Include the value of a scalar property present on the clipboard page.
{pega:attachment attachmentName }	Include the contents of an attachment.
{pega:binaryfile binaryFileName }	Include the value of a binary file rule. Identify all three key parts of the rule using the format AppName.imageFileName.FileType.
{pega:insert corr="Name" }	Include the HTML code text from a correspondence rule with Name as the second key part. The final key part of the correspondence rule must be email.
{pega:binary imagefile=imageFileName }	Include the image associated with a binary file rule. Identify all three key parts of the rule using the format AppName.imageFileName.FileType.
{pega:binary imagefilelocalpath="LocalPath" }	Include a local image. For example: {pega:binary imagefilelocalpath="C:\donut.jpg" }

7. In Word, hide the field codes by clearing the setting to show field codes instead of their values.

8. When your document is ready, protect all or parts of the document using Word's Protect Document setting. You can protect the entire document, or only specific sections defined by Word section breaks.

9. Use the Save operation in Word to save the document into the Word Template rule. Then save the Word Template rule form.

10. Configure at least one harness or section to include the property as an input field, following the instructions above.

11. Copy and modify the standard flow action PegaSample.CreateMergedWorkDoc into an appropriate RuleSet and Applies To work type in your application.

Enter an Action Name key part of you choosing.
Update the Before This Action... activity parameter to reference the Purpose value — second key part — of the Word Template rule.
In the After This Action activity parameters, enter as the pyCategory value the name of the attachment category you created in Step 1 above, within double-quotes. (The FileSource parameter contains a Base64-encoded file name provided by the ActiveX control.)

11. Save the flow action. Update a flow rule to reference the flow action.

12. Test.

Internal notes

This facility requires the prVisioInterface ActiveX control and Word macros contained in the template WordMacroManagerDot.Dot template file. Both files have certificates digitally signed by Pegasystems. See How to set up Microsoft Word for inline display or editing. Operation of the ActiveX control and macros is automatic and requires no user interaction.

	ActiveX control, open authoring
	About Word Template rules How to provide inline Word property display How to set up Microsoft Word for inline display or editing

User Interface category