Implement this interface to allow mail merge from a custom data source, such as list of objects.

For a list of all members of this type, see IMailMergeDataSource Members.

Remarks

Example

Performs mail merge from a custom data source.

[C#]

public void MailMergeCustomDataSource()
{
    // Create some data that we will use in the mail merge.
    CustomerList customers = new CustomerList();
    customers.Add(new Customer("Thomas Hardy", "120 Hanover Sq., London"));
    customers.Add(new Customer("Paolo Accorti", "Via Monte Bianco 34, Torino"));

    // Open the template document.
    Document doc = new Document(MyDir + "MailMerge.CustomDataSource.doc");

    // To be able to mail merge from your own data source, it must be wrapped
    // into an object that implements the IMailMergeDataSource interface.
    CustomerMailMergeDataSource customersDataSource = new CustomerMailMergeDataSource(customers);

    // Now you can pass your data source into Aspose.Words.
    doc.MailMerge.Execute(customersDataSource);

    doc.Save(MyDir + "MailMerge.CustomDataSource Out.doc");
}

/// <summary>
/// An example of a "data entity" class in your application.
/// </summary>
public class Customer
{
    public Customer(string aFullName, string anAddress)
    {
        mFullName = aFullName;
        mAddress = anAddress;
    }

    public string FullName
    {
        get { return mFullName; }
        set { mFullName = value; }
    }

    public string Address
    {
        get { return mAddress; }
        set { mAddress = value; }
    }

    private string mFullName;
    private string mAddress;
}

/// <summary>
/// An example of a typed collection that contains your "data" objects.
/// </summary>
public class CustomerList : ArrayList
{
    public new Customer this[int index]
    {
        get { return (Customer)base[index]; }
        set { base[index] = value; }
    }
}

/// <summary>
/// A custom mail merge data source that you implement to allow Aspose.Words 
/// to mail merge data from your Customer objects into Microsoft Word documents.
/// </summary>
public class CustomerMailMergeDataSource : IMailMergeDataSource
{
    public CustomerMailMergeDataSource(CustomerList customers)
    {
        mCustomers = customers;

        // When the data source is initialized, it must be positioned before the first record.
        mRecordIndex= -1;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The name of the data source. Used by Aspose.Words only when executing mail merge with repeatable regions.
    /// </summary>
    public string TableName
    {
        get { return "Customer"; }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Aspose.Words call this to get a value for every data field.
    /// </summary>
    public bool GetValue(string fieldName, out object fieldValue)
    {
        switch (fieldName)
        {
            case "FullName":
                fieldValue = mCustomers[mRecordIndex].FullName;
                return true;
            case "Address":
                fieldValue = mCustomers[mRecordIndex].Address;
                return true;
            default:
                // A field with this name was not found, 
                // return false to the Aspose.Words mail merge engine.
                fieldValue = null;
                return false;
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A standard implementation for moving to a next record in a collection.
    /// </summary>
    public bool MoveNext()
    {
        if (!IsEof)
            mRecordIndex++;

        return (!IsEof);
    }

    private bool IsEof
    {
        get { return (mRecordIndex >= mCustomers.Count); }
    }

    private readonly CustomerList mCustomers;
    private int mRecordIndex;
}

[Visual Basic]

Public Sub MailMergeCustomDataSource()
    ' Create some data that we will use in the mail merge.
    Dim customers As CustomerList = New CustomerList()
    customers.Add(New Customer("Thomas Hardy", "120 Hanover Sq., London"))
    customers.Add(New Customer("Paolo Accorti", "Via Monte Bianco 34, Torino"))

    ' Open the template document.
    Dim doc As Document = New Document(MyDir & "MailMerge.CustomDataSource.doc")

    ' To be able to mail merge from your own data source, it must be wrapped
    ' into an object that implements the IMailMergeDataSource interface.
    Dim customersDataSource As CustomerMailMergeDataSource = New CustomerMailMergeDataSource(customers)

    ' Now you can pass your data source into Aspose.Words.
    doc.MailMerge.Execute(customersDataSource)

    doc.Save(MyDir & "MailMerge.CustomDataSource Out.doc")
End Sub

''' <summary>
''' An example of a "data entity" class in your application.
''' </summary>
Public Class Customer
    Public Sub New(ByVal aFullName As String, ByVal anAddress As String)
        mFullName = aFullName
        mAddress = anAddress
    End Sub

    Public Property FullName() As String
        Get
            Return mFullName
        End Get
        Set
            mFullName = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Property Address() As String
        Get
            Return mAddress
        End Get
        Set
            mAddress = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    Private mFullName As String
    Private mAddress As String
End Class

''' <summary>
''' An example of a typed collection that contains your "data" objects.
''' </summary>
Public Class CustomerList
    Inherits ArrayList
    Public Shadows Default Property Item(ByVal index As Integer) As Customer
        Get
            Return CType(MyBase.Item(index), Customer)
        End Get
        Set
            MyBase.Item(index) = Value
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

''' <summary>
''' A custom mail merge data source that you implement to allow Aspose.Words 
''' to mail merge data from your Customer objects into Microsoft Word documents.
''' </summary>
Public Class CustomerMailMergeDataSource
    Implements IMailMergeDataSource
    Public Sub New(ByVal customers As CustomerList)
        mCustomers = customers

        ' When the data source is initialized, it must be positioned before the first record.
        mRecordIndex= -1
    End Sub

    ''' <summary>
    ''' The name of the data source. Used by Aspose.Words only when executing mail merge with repeatable regions.
    ''' </summary>
    Public ReadOnly Property TableName() As String Implements IMailMergeDataSource.TableName
        Get
            Return "Customer"
        End Get
    End Property

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Aspose.Words call this to get a value for every data field.
    ''' </summary>
    Public Function GetValue(ByVal fieldName As String, <System.Runtime.InteropServices.Out()> ByRef fieldValue As Object) As Boolean Implements IMailMergeDataSource.GetValue
        Select Case fieldName
            Case "FullName"
                fieldValue = mCustomers(mRecordIndex).FullName
                Return True
            Case "Address"
                fieldValue = mCustomers(mRecordIndex).Address
                Return True
            Case Else
                ' A field with this name was not found, 
                ' return false to the Aspose.Words mail merge engine.
                fieldValue = Nothing
                Return False
        End Select
    End Function

    ''' <summary>
    ''' A standard implementation for moving to a next record in a collection.
    ''' </summary>
    Public Function MoveNext() As Boolean Implements IMailMergeDataSource.MoveNext
        If (Not IsEof) Then
            mRecordIndex += 1
        End If

        Return ((Not IsEof))
    End Function

    Private ReadOnly Property IsEof() As Boolean
        Get
            Return (mRecordIndex >= mCustomers.Count)
        End Get
    End Property

    Private ReadOnly mCustomers As CustomerList
    Private mRecordIndex As Integer
End Class

Requirements

Namespace: Aspose.Words.Reporting

Assembly: Aspose.Words (in Aspose.Words.dll)

See Also

IMailMergeDataSource Members | Aspose.Words.Reporting Namespace | MailMerge