[Tutorial] Mail Merge on OS X using Address Book Server

[lostinspace2011]

I am the developer of Address Book Server which allows Mac User to sync their Address Book with each other on their local network. I know there is already a solution available to use the Address Book Data Source, however with Address Book Server you can also use the contacts on the central server. Address Book Server has a relational database backend and supports most modern engines. I put together a step by step guide on how to configure Open Office to access the database used by Address Book Server and produce a mail merged document.

http://trac.addressbookserver.com/trac/wiki/MailMerge

I understand this is not for everyone, but this would allow users in a mixed environment to access contacts details from the central server. So a secretary could use Open Office on Windows to access the companies contacts shared between it's Mac users. The reason I put this guide together was because I was ask to support this exact case.

PS: This is not the Address Book Server included with Snow Leopard Server, but a different product which goes back several years and supports 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6. Unfortunately Apple have decided to give their product an identical name.