Microsoft KB Archive/64781

Word: Listing Order of Words in the MS and User Dictionaries PSS ID Number: Q64781 Article last modified on 07-07-1993 PSS database name: M_WorD

4.00

MACINTOSH

Summary:

The Microsoft Word MS Dictionary and user dictionaries do not list words in true alphabetical order as you would find in a printed dictionary, but in a slightly adapted version of alphabetical order that is based on the ASCII character set. The dictionaries in Word sort using the following precedence rules:


 * 1) Numbers
 * 2) Capital letters
 * 3) Lowercase letters

More Information:

In the ASCII character set, numbers have the lowest value, then capital letters, and finally lowercase letters.

For example, the following words would appear in different order when listed in the MS Dictionary versus a traditional printed dictionary:

Printed Dictionary MS Dictionary —————— ————-

alpha Beta Beta ZEBRA Zebar Zebar ZEBRA alpha

For more information about ASCII or the Macintosh character set, see Appendix D of the “Reference to Microsoft Word” version 4.0 manual.

Additional reference words: mswdproof

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.