Microsoft KB Archive/76971

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{| The information in this article applies to:
 * width="100%"|
 * Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a, 5.1, 6.0, 6.0.1

SYMPTOMS
When you view a Word document on the screen, the text is unreadable; however, when you print the document, the printed text is readable. In addition, Font Substitution may be disabled.

CAUSE
This problem occurs when you select Fractional Widths and then print the document to a printer that supports the option. Fractional Widths allows more accurate character spacing in printed documents. However, when you enable this option, text that appears on the screen is less readable. In addition, when you select Fractional Widths, the printer driver cannot perform font substitution, even when you select Font Substitution.

NOTE: Printer drivers that support Fractional Widths include printer drivers for the Apple LaserWriter and the Hewlett-Packard (HP) DeskWriter.

Word 6.0 and 6.0.1
When you create a new document in Word 6.0 or 6.0.1 for the Macintosh, Fractional Widths is disabled by default. However, Fractional Widths is enabled if you select a LaserWriter printer.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q118835 TITLE    : Word 6.0 for the Macintosh: Default Settings

Word 5.0, 5.0a, and 5.1
When you select a printer driver that supports Fractional Widths in the Chooser, and you create a new document in Word 5.0, 5.0a, or 5.1 for the Macintosh, Fractional Widths is enabled by default.

WORKAROUNDS
To display undistorted text on the screen, disable the default Fractional Widths setting. To change the default setting, use one of the following methods:

Word 6.0 and 6.0.1
 On the Tools menu, click Options. Click the Print tab. Clear the Fractional Widths check box  Click OK. -or-  On the File menu, click Print. Click Word Options. Clear the Fractional Widths check box. Click OK.</li></ol>

NOTE: To set the default Fractional Widths setting for new documents in Word 6.0 and 6.0.1, open the Normal template, click Options on the Tools menu, select or clear Fractional Widths, and then save the Normal template.

Word 5.0, 5.0a, and 5.1

 * 1) On the File menu, click Page Setup.
 * 2) Clear the Fractional Widths check box.
 * 3) Select the Use As Default check box.
 * 4) Click OK.

NOTE: To use this setting for all new documents that you create in Word, use the Quit command to quit Word.

MORE INFORMATION
In Word 5.0, 5.0a, and 5.1, you can add the Fractional Widths command to a menu. To do this, use the following steps:


 * 1) On the Tools menu, click Commands.
 * 2) Click Fractional Widths.
 * 3) Under Menu, click Add.
 * 4) Click Close.

The command appears under the Print command on the File menu by default. For additional information about Fractional Widths and how to customize Word, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q76971 TITLE    : Screen Text Is Unreadable with Fractional Widths Enabled
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Last reviewed: November 17, 1997

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