Word merge from vb.net

To be clear, you are looking to do document generation off datatables created in VB?  Do you have an example Word Document template?  How are the variables listed in the document you want to replace?

I think it will be called mailmerge

I'm a bit confused now.  So the intent is to have a datatable that contains, for example:

name = John
last = Smith
city = Supertown

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And your letter says:

Dear @name @last,

Thanks for living in @city.

-The Mayor

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And it outputs for each datarow in datatable:

Dear John Smith,

Thanks for living in Supertown.

-The Mayor

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Is that accurate?

Perfect!

Cheers mate.. Will try and keep you posted

Don't forget to add a reference to the Microsoft Word Object Library! :)

Yup

You could also perform the exact MailMerge functionality available in MS Word, from VB.Net as shown in this link:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/301656
(How to automate Word to perform a mail merge from Visual Basic .NET)

Extract from above link:

Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop

Dim wrdApp As Word.Application
    Dim wrdDoc As Word._Document

    Private Sub InsertLines(ByVal LineNum As Integer)
        Dim iCount As Integer

        ' Insert "LineNum" blank lines.
        For iCount = 1 To LineNum
            wrdApp.Selection.TypeParagraph()
        Next iCount
    End Sub

    Private Sub FillRow(ByVal Doc As Word.Document, ByVal Row As Integer, _
    ByVal Text1 As String, ByVal Text2 As String, _
    ByVal Text3 As String, ByVal Text4 As String)

        With Doc.Tables.Item(1)
            ' Insert the data in the specific cell.
            .Cell(Row, 1).Range.InsertAfter(Text1)
            .Cell(Row, 2).Range.InsertAfter(Text2)
            .Cell(Row, 3).Range.InsertAfter(Text3)
            .Cell(Row, 4).Range.InsertAfter(Text4)
        End With
    End Sub

    Private Sub CreateMailMergeDataFile()
        Dim wrdDataDoc As Word._Document
        Dim iCount As Integer

        ' Create a data source at C:\DataDoc.doc containing the field data.
        wrdDoc.MailMerge.CreateDataSource(Name:="C:\DataDoc.doc", _
              HeaderRecord:="FirstName, LastName, Address, CityStateZip")
        ' Open the file to insert data.
        wrdDataDoc = wrdApp.Documents.Open("C:\DataDoc.doc")
        For iCount = 1 To 2
            wrdDataDoc.Tables.Item(1).Rows.Add()
        Next iCount
        ' 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 Sub


    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
       ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim wrdSelection As Word.Selection
        Dim wrdMailMerge As Word.MailMerge
        Dim wrdMergeFields As Word.MailMergeFields

        Dim StrToAdd As String

        ' Create an instance of Word  and make it visible.
        wrdApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
        wrdApp.Visible = True

        ' Add 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 in the document.
        StrToAdd = "State University" & vbCr & _
                    "Electrical Engineering Department"
        wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = _
                    Word.WdParagraphAlignment.wdAlignParagraphCenter
        wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd)

        InsertLines(4)

        ' Insert merge data.
        wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = _
                    Word.WdParagraphAlignment.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 = _
               Word.WdParagraphAlignment.wdAlignParagraphRight
        wrdSelection.InsertDateTime( _
              DateTimeFormat:="dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy", _
              InsertAsField:=False)

        InsertLines(2)

        ' Justify the rest of the document.
        wrdSelection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = _
               Word.WdParagraphAlignment.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, NumRows:=9, _
             NumColumns:=4)

        With wrdDoc.Tables.Item(1)
            ' Set the column widths.
            .Columns.Item(1).SetWidth(51, Word.WdRulerStyle.wdAdjustNone)
            .Columns.Item(2).SetWidth(170, Word.WdRulerStyle.wdAdjustNone)
            .Columns.Item(3).SetWidth(100, Word.WdRulerStyle.wdAdjustNone)
            .Columns.Item(4).SetWidth(111, Word.WdRulerStyle.wdAdjustNone)
            ' Set the shading on the first row to light gray.
            .Rows.Item(1).Cells.Shading.BackgroundPatternColorIndex = _
             Word.WdColorIndex.wdGray25
            ' Bold the first row.
            .Rows.Item(1).Range.Bold = True
            ' Center the text in Cell (1,1).
            .Cell(1, 1).Range.Paragraphs.Alignment = _
                      Word.WdParagraphAlignment.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")
        End With

        ' Go to the end of the document.
        wrdApp.Selection.GoTo(Word.WdGoToItem.wdGoToLine, _
                   Word.WdGoToDirection.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 Web site at "
        wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd)
        ' Insert a hyperlink to the Web page.
        wrdSelection.Hyperlinks.Add(Anchor:=wrdSelection.Range, _
           Address:="http://www.ee.stateu.tld")
        ' Create a string and insert it in 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." & vbCr & vbCr & _
                   "Sincerely," & vbCr & vbCr & _
                   "Kathryn M. Hinsch" & vbCr & _
                   "Department of Electrical Engineering" & vbCr
        wrdSelection.TypeText(StrToAdd)

        ' Perform mail merge.
        wrdMailMerge.Destination = _
                   Word.WdMailMergeDestination.wdSendToNewDocument
        wrdMailMerge.Execute(False)

        ' Close the original form document.
        wrdDoc.Saved = True
        wrdDoc.Close(False)

        ' Release References.
        wrdSelection = Nothing
        wrdMailMerge = Nothing
        wrdMergeFields = Nothing
        wrdDoc = Nothing
        wrdApp = Nothing

        ' Clean up temp file.
        System.IO.File.Delete("C:\DataDoc.doc")
    End Sub

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Thats an example, as you already have the template, you could use that template and mail merge.  Please let know if any questions.  

Cheers.

The mailmerge code from MSDN above isn't super modular so I advise on writing your own code.  You open up a lot more business functionality with your own code, i.e.

Give users a data dictionary (or write a word addin that has the variables in it users can insert).  Then anyone can write their own templates using [@variable] names and have it become a generative document.

If you put your letter into the code, it also means any time someone wants to make a change, the programmer has to go in and do it (and you've got better things to do than edit and proof letters).

Dustin,
its not working mate for my example.
Please find the doc attached.
WordMerge.docx

Also it is a .doc file

need to populate values from datatable

       oDoc.Content.Find.Execute(FindText:="[a]", ReplaceWith:="Tjij :" & dtSQL.Rows(1)(2).ToString, Replace:=Microsoft.Office.Interop.Word.WdReplace.wdReplaceAll)

Cheers!