Merge the last 4 digits of a number that contains a hyphen

I use Microsoft Word 2002 (XP). I am trying to merge the last 4 digits of a
number that in some cases includes a hyphen. The following switch works if
the number does not contain a hyphen i.e. Number = 123456789:
{QUOTE "XXXX"{MERGEFIELD Number \# x####}} field result = XXXX6789
When the number contains a hyphen Word subtracts the last number from the
four numbers that precede the hyphen i.e. 12345678-9 the field result =
XXXX5669. How can I make Word ignore the hyphen and merge the field result =
XXXX678-9?

Unfortunately I don't think you can do it using a field. Yes, there is a
strange "feature" where Word calculates some simple strings that look like
numeric expressions if you apply a numeric format, but when you think about
it, 12345678-9 isn't a number - it's an expression. So you really need a
character format that extracts the last 4 digits and anything along with it
(and there aren't any such character formats switches).

So you either have to fix the problem in the data source, or you have to do
something like use VBA and Mailmerge events to extract the correct text and
avoid applying formats. I'd head for the first of those if possible.

Peter Jamieson

"Lani" wrote in message
...
I use Microsoft Word 2002 (XP). I am trying to merge the last 4 digits of
a
number that in some cases includes a hyphen. The following switch works if
the number does not contain a hyphen i.e. Number = 123456789:
{QUOTE "XXXX"{MERGEFIELD Number \# x####}} field result = XXXX6789
When the number contains a hyphen Word subtracts the last number from the
four numbers that precede the hyphen i.e. 12345678-9 the field result =
XXXX5669. How can I make Word ignore the hyphen and merge the field
result =
XXXX678-9?

I will try to use VBA to extract the correct text. Thank you for the input.

"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

Unfortunately I don't think you can do it using a field. Yes, there is a
strange "feature" where Word calculates some simple strings that look like
numeric expressions if you apply a numeric format, but when you think about
it, 12345678-9 isn't a number - it's an expression. So you really need a
character format that extracts the last 4 digits and anything along with it
(and there aren't any such character formats switches).

So you either have to fix the problem in the data source, or you have to do
something like use VBA and Mailmerge events to extract the correct text and
avoid applying formats. I'd head for the first of those if possible.

Peter Jamieson

"Lani" wrote in message
...
I use Microsoft Word 2002 (XP). I am trying to merge the last 4 digits of
a
number that in some cases includes a hyphen. The following switch works if
the number does not contain a hyphen i.e. Number = 123456789:
{QUOTE "XXXX"{MERGEFIELD Number \# x####}} field result = XXXX6789
When the number contains a hyphen Word subtracts the last number from the
four numbers that precede the hyphen i.e. 12345678-9 the field result =
XXXX5669. How can I make Word ignore the hyphen and merge the field
result =
XXXX678-9?