San José State University

SCHOOL OF LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE

SLIS Home - 202 Online Resource - Inserting a Database into Word

How to insert files from DB/TextWorks into a Word document

These instructions explain how to insert your data structure, validation lists, and records into the Word document that holds the rest of your assignment.

Overview: You're going to save these 3 things as simple text files, then Insert those text files into the Word document that contains your assignment. The validation list for each field will have to be saved as a separate file - so you'll wind up with one text file (.txt) for the data structure, one for the records, and one for each validation list. Note that the process is different for records than for the data structure and validation lists.

To insert the data structure

  1. Create or Open the Word document which will contain your assignment.
  2. Open your database within DB/TextWorks.
  3. Position your cursor in your Word document at the point where you want to insert your data structure.
  4. Go to DBT (DB/TextWorks) > Maintain > Edit Textbase Structure.
  5. Click Print Structure.
    1. Click Print to File.
    2. Click Okay.
    3. You'll get a window labeled "Save File As" - be sure you note where the file is being saved (path/folders) so you can find it!
    4. Give the file a name (if your database is named Candy, your file name might be Canstruc.txt - note that the filename can have only 8 characters).
    5. Be sure the "Save file as type" box reads Text files (.txt).
    6. Click Okay.
    7. You'll get a message that the file has been successfully created.
  6. Go to your Word document, , be sure the cursor is positioned where you want the data structure to be inserted, and pull down the Insert menu, highlight File. Find the file you want to insert (Canstruc.txt) and highlight it, then click Insert

To insert validation lists

  1. Position your cursor in your Word document at the point where you want to insert your first validation list.
  2. Go to DBT > Maintain > Edit Textbase Structure > Edit fields. Bring up the validation list for the first field that has one (in the Edit Validation List window).
  3. Click Print List.
    1. Click Print to File.
    2. Click Okay.
    3. You'll get a "Save File As" window - be sure you note where the file is being saved (path/folders) so you can find it!
    4. Give the file a name (if it's the validation list for the flavor field, the file name might be CaFlval.txt).
    5. Be sure the "Save file as type" box reads Text files (.txt).
    6. Click Okay.
    7. You'll get a message that the file has been successfully created.
  4. Go to your Word document, place your cursor where you want the validation list to be inserted, and pull down the Insert menu, highlight File. Find the file you want to insert (CaFlval.txt) and highlight it, then click Insert.
  5. (NOTE that you may want to do some editing of this later - only the first 5 letters of the field appear, for instance, and you might want to write out the full field name for clarity.)
  6. Repeat this process for each validation list.

To insert records

  1. Place the cursor in your Word document where you will want to insert the records.
  2. In DBT, click on the blue globe for "Find all Records" (right beneath the R in Records in the main menu across the top). Select "Report window" and click ok.
  3. From the File menu, select "Write Report to File."
    1. Select "Plain Text" when the dialog box asks "Create what kind of output file?"
    2. Click Okay.
    3. Name the file (perhaps CanRec.txt). Be sure you notice the path/folders so you can find it again.
    4. Be sure the "Save file as type" box reads Text files (.txt).
    5. Click Okay.
  4. Go to your Word document, be sure the cursor is positioned where you want the records inserted, pull down the Insert menu, and highlight File.
  5. Select the file you want to insert, and click Insert.

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