Microsoft KB Archive/23285

Point Size Inaccurate on Apple LaserWriter

PSS ID Number: Q23285 Article last modified on 11-02-1994

3.x

MS-DOS

Question:

When I Print Select Times Roman 24 in Word and print on my Apple LaserWriter, why are the characters only 18 points high?

Response:

You are correct. The font selection sequence we received from Adobe to activate a 24-point font actually gives a font that is approximately 5 pitch, but only 18 points high. Adobe’s code does the actual scaling of the font. We do not control the character size, only describe it so Word knows where line breaks should occur.

In this case, a trade-off was made between points and pitch. It is called 24-point size because it relates to a 5- pitch font. Point size usually is associated with the height of a character, but as far as Word is concerned on the Apple LaserWriter, the point size refers to the character’s width, or its corresponding pitch size.

Word’s size is still in points, but the Apple LaserWriter deals in approximate pitch (see the pitch-to-point conversion table on page 17 of the printer information manual).

For a 24-point character height, format your text for a 30-point font on the Apple LaserWriter. The font selection sequence Word sends for a 30-point font has characters that are 24 points high.

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================================================================ Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1994.