For a mail merge I have five fields that are all connected, no spaces between them. The purpose is so that I can change formating on the different fields depending on my needs italics or normal text, bold or normal underlining. The problem is that it does not keep the formating that I have given it. It seems to always take the bold underlining and there is no logic as to the italicization or normal text, switches back and forth.

It would be easlier if I could bring the formating over from the spreadsheet or database.

The problem shows when I use only one field or try to get normal text it does not work.

Your bug report is being closed as NOT_AN_ISSUE due to a lack of information which is needed in order to accurately reproduce and confirm the problem. We  need the following information (please ignore any that you've already provided):

a) Provide a step-by-step procedure to reproduce (the simpler will be the better) and use Bibliography datasource.

b) Provide any test case(s) which will help us confirm the problem (like a sample document)

c) Provide screenshots of the problem if you think it might help

Once all of this is done, please set the bug back to UNCONFIRMED and we will attempt to reproduce the issue.

1. to keep is simple.
2. Start a writer document.
3. hit f4 then bibliograph>tables>biblio.
4. drag down these fields into a new writer docment: Address, Annote, Author and Chapter in a single line without any spaces between the fields so that it makes one compound word.
5. Italicize Annote and Chapter. leave Address and Author normal.
6. Mail merge and look at results. Author should be normal but is italicized.

Furthermore whatever formating you give Chapter, Author gets the same.

(re-)read my comment 3 and (b) stage

(In reply to oooforum (fr) from comment #3)
> Your bug report is being closed as NOT_AN_ISSUE due to a lack of information
> which is needed in order to accurately reproduce and confirm the problem. We
> need the following information (please ignore any that you've already
> provided):
> 
> a) Provide a step-by-step procedure to reproduce (the simpler will be the
> better) and use Bibliography datasource.
> 
> b) Provide any test case(s) which will help us confirm the problem (like a
> sample document)
> 
> c) Provide screenshots of the problem if you think it might help
> 
> Once all of this is done, please set the bug back to UNCONFIRMED and we will
> attempt to reproduce the issue.

a) comment 4 is a "step-by-step procedure to reproduce" the problem with the "Bibliography datasource".
2. Start a writer document.
3. hit f4 then bibliography>tables>biblio.
4. drag down these fields into a new writer document: "Address", "Annote", "Author" and "Chapter" in a single line without any spaces between the fields so that it makes one compound word.
5. Italicize "Annote" and "Chapter". leave "Address" and "Author" normal.
6. Mail merge and look at results. "Author" should be normal but is italicized.

b) When you run the mail merge it will create the "test case" of the problem.
c) Do you need screen shots of what you are going to create in the mail merge above?
... What else can I do? What else do you need?

Reproduce only if fields are empty.
With <Identifier><Type><Author><Pages>, there is no problem.
For me, your test case is a nonsense: an empty field must be treated with "hidden text" function.
Wait developer's answer before confirm this issue.

Configuration:
Office Writer with this build
AOO413m1(Build:9783)  -  Rev. 1761381
2016-09-29 02:39:19

Steps to replicate:
1.Opened a new text document
2. Selected f4 and a pop up window displayed which on my laptop provided me a menu to change my displays for my monitor. This step in the original report was not accurate with my configurations. I am using: 
o Edition: Windows 10 Home
o Version 1607
o OS Build: 14393.1198
o Processor: Intel Core i5-4200M CPU @ 2.50 GHz
o Installed RAM: 8.00 GB

3. I began to search for the next steps (bibliograph>tables>biblio) looking in every menu. I finally found in the View drop down - Data Sources (f4) 

4. I again tried to select f4 an received the same menu as before

5. I selected Data Sources and the Bibliography Database opened displaying Tables -> biblio, and selected it. Now I was able to see what the author meant by:

6. I pulled down the fields mentioned in the bug report. The steps were: drag down these fields into a new writer document: "Address", "Annote", "Author" and "Chapter" in a single line without any spaces between the fields so that it makes one compound word. 

7. The statement that the items pulled down make a compound word is confusing to the readers and I believe it is incorrect usage of what a compound word is. 
8. I italicized “Annote” and “Chapter”, recognizing that all fields in the database were not populated for the fields being selected. 
9. The next step was to mail merge (which I had to find) Selected Mail Merge Wizard and stepped through it until it finished

Fields populated with data with style changes to fields.odt

Result:
I was able to replicate the fact that all fields were italicized, not just the two (2) fields I selected, which was stated from the original author.

Follow-up test (proving my thoughts and comments from OOO:

Configuration:
Office Writer with this build
o AOO413m1(Build:9783)  -  Rev. 1761381
o 2016-09-29 02:39:19

1. Opened a new text document
2. Selected drop down menu “View” and then “data sources”.   
3. Opened Bibliography, tables, biblio
4. Filled in fields that are going to be selected (Address, Annote, Chapter, and Author)
5. Pulled down these fields and “book title” into my document
o bolded and underlined book title
o italicized Annote
6. Selected Mail Merge Wizard and stepped through it until it finished
7. Result, the styles selected for Annote and Book Title were styled appropriately (as long as there was data in all columns selected
8. My configuration is: 
o Edition: Windows 10 Home
o Version 1607
o OS Build: 14393.1198
o Processor: Intel Core i5-4200M CPU @ 2.50 GHz
o Installed RAM: 8.00 GB

Correct Font Style when fields are populated - Linda - Shortcut.lnk

Result:
My theory was that this was an issue when some fields were not populated and this test proves this fact. I placed comments in two (2) of the results in my attached document showing the correct font styling when all of the fields are populated in the row, and a comment showing incorrect styling when all fields in the row are not populated. 
Follow-up test using Word Mail Merge:
Configuration:

Microsoft Word
My configuration is: 
• Edition: Windows 10 Home
• Version 1607
• OS Build: 14393.1198
• Processor: Intel Core i5-4200M CPU @ 2.50 GHz
• Installed RAM: 8.00 GB

Created a Mail Merge in Word

1. Opened new Word Document
2. Clicked on the menu Start Mail Merge drop 
3. Selected Letters
4. Selected Select Recipients dropdown
5. Selected Type New List
6. Added data – row with all data, row with missing data
7. Select Customize Columns
8. Add columns desired in mail merge
9. Word does not offer font styling changes on the mail merge tab, so I had to go to the Home tab
10. Selected First Name to be bold, Address to be italicized, State to be bold and underlined

Word Mail Merge font style not used.docx

Result:
I completed the Mail Merge in Word, and none of the font styling changes I selected were like a better design since the options to change font styles is not in your face as available. I think that implemented. Word does not offer the option to change the font style on the Mail Merge tab, so I selected the Home tab to make my changes. I think Word should have provided a message stating that the style options would not work when creating a Mail Merge. 

Impact:
In searching the Bugzilla database, I did not find any bugs written that addressed this issue. This could mean that either Users are aware of how Mail Merges work, or they do not find it as problematic. 

I find this issue to be a missed requirement in the design of the product or in err. Either messaging should be offered to let the User know that all fields need to be populated in order to work, and if they don’t want to support the font styling options they should be moved. 

In reading a wiki about Open Office mail merge, a blog with training information about Open Office Mail Merge, Open Office Writer Guide on Mail Merge, and an article from Free Software Magazine on Open Office Mail Merge, there is no mention that one would be able to change the style of the font (bold, italicize, underline) before merging. In fact it is mentioned that styles can be changed after the merge is complete. My findings prove that if all fields are populated, the styling works. Creating a Mail Merge in Word, displayed that font styling options are not supported for their Mail Merge.

Created attachment 86094 [details]
Linda Replicate Scenario One

Created attachment 86095 [details]
Linda all fields populated Scenario 2

Created attachment 86096 [details]
Linda Word font styles not used Scenario 3