Microsoft KB Archive/64779

Word: Printing a Backspace Adds Following Spaces

PSS ID Number: Q64779 Article last modified on 11-02-1994

5.00 5.50 6.00

MS-DOS

= SUMMARY =

When using the backspace character (ALT+8) to create special characters in Word version 5.00 or 5.50, if there are any character format changes on the line following the backspace character, spaces will be added into the line just before the format change occurs. For example, the following

normaltext n~BOLDTEXT

will print with the tilde “~” over the n, but with a space between the n and the start of BOLDTEXT. This happens because word sees the n~ as three characters, and the printer sees them as one. When Word starts the format change in the text, it places it where text would have started had the ALT+8 not been a backspace.

= MORE INFORMATION =

The temporary workaround is to not change formats on any lines that have the backspace character in them.

The permanent solution is to add an entry to the Character Translation Table (CTT) in the printer driver. For more information, query on the following words:

using and backspace and character and create and new and character

Changing the CTT will make the line print out correctly.

This is different in Word version 5.00 and 5.50 than previous versions of Word. Using the backspace character was never an intended feature of Word, but many customers took advantage of the ability to use it in earlier versions. There are other problems that result from using ALT+8 in a document; these problems occur while using earlier versions of Word. Making an entry in the character translation table is the preferred method because it does not affect line spacing or line count in the final print.

This behavior is similar in Word 5.50.

KBCategory: kbother KBSubcategory: Additional reference words:

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