Q193417: WD97: How Text with Layout Converter Determines Line Length
Article: Q193417
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s): kbdta word97
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
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SUMMARY
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When you save a document in "Text With Layout (*.ans)" or "MS-DOS Text With
Layout (*.asc)" format, the Microsoft Word converter (Txtlyt32.cnv) uses a
character size of 10 pitch to determine the maximum number of characters that
can appear on a single line in the output file. This is independent of the font
sizes in the original Word document.
To determine the number of characters per line, the Txtlyt32.cnv converter
multiplies the number of characters per inch (CPI) by the amount of horizontal
printable space.
For example, if a document has an 8.5-inch page width, and left and right margins
of 1.25-inch (the default setting in Word), the amount of horizontal printable
space is 6 inches. When the Word document is converted to a text file with the
"Text With Layout (*.ans)" converter, 10 CPI multiplied by 6 inches of printable
space determines that the output text file will contain a maximum of 60
characters per line. If one or more lines in the original Word document contain
more than 60 characters, the lines of text are wrapped, and the remaining text
appears on the following line.
MORE INFORMATION
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The purpose of saving a Word document in "Text With Layout (*.asc)" format (as
opposed to saving as Text Only or Text Only with Linebreaks format) is to retain
as much vertical and horizontal placement of text as possible (that is, a mirror
image of the original).
When saving, Word generates an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) text
file if you choose "Text with Layout (*.ans)", and generates an ASCII (American
Standard Code for Information Interchange) file if you choose "MS- DOS Text with
Layout (*.asc)". The only difference between the two options is how extended
characters are converted in the output file.
When you read a "Text with Layout (*.ans)" document back into Word, the Text with
Layout converter interprets the incoming data and transforms recognizable
patterns of spaces into formatting commands. For example, if the converter
identifies five spaces at the beginning of a line of text, it inserts an indent
(tab) when opening the document in Word.
If you want to open a file that has been previously saved from Word in Text with
Layout format, or if you want to open any other plain text file without
formatting manipulation, open the file as Text Only. When opening a document as
Text Only, no data manipulation occurs, and what you see on screen is exactly
the same as what you would see viewing the original text file by using the
MS-DOS TYPE command at the command prompt, or by viewing it with a simple editor
such as Notepad.
NOTE: If you open a document as Text Only and text appears to be horizontally
misaligned, choose Select All from the Edit menu in Word, and choose a fixed
font, like Courier 12 point.
When you convert complex document formatting to an ANSI or ASCII text file, the
converter must make several assumptions. For example, if a document contains
several pitch sizes on a single line, which size would the converter use to
determine line length? (The first font size? The largest font size?) A text file
does not allow for these variations. The default assumption of 10 CPI in the
design of this converter is the best compromise that can be made to most
consistently accommodate the generalized conversion scenario. If this assumption
does not facilitate your export needs, make use of the PointSize or Width flags
to change the assumptions made by the converter.
If tabs are used to create columnar structures in Word, these structures may not
align correctly in the output text file. The tab stop absolute position in Word
is emulated by using spaces to pad the tab stops to their original positions.
This applies to left, right, centered, and decimal- aligned tab stops.
If the length of a line exceeds the absolute position of a tab stop, the tab is
ignored when encountered by the converter. Also, if a single string of text
passes a tab stop, that tab stop will be ignored. The latter occurrence is an
inherent result of converting text for a proportional font (as in Word for
Windows) to a non- proportional font (as in an ASCII file created by the text
with layout converter). This may cause some files produced by the converter to
appear misaligned. However, decreasing the PointSize option, which effectively
increases the number of characters allowed between tab stops, will lessen the
frequency of this occurrence as well as the degree of misalignment.
Converter Option Description
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PointSize=n This option can be used to customize the CPI
assumption used by the converter. By default,
PointSize is set to 12. A 12-point font is
equivalent to a 10-pitch font; thus, the
converter uses a default of 10-CPI. By changing
the PointSize value to a smaller number, you
can increase the number of characters allowed
per line.
For example, if you change PointSize to 10, the
converter assumes 12 CPI. 12 CPI multiplied by
6-inches of printable space determines that the
converter will allow 72 characters per line.
Width=n This option is the ultimate determinant of line
length. By default, it is set to 80-character
columns, which is also the maximum number of
characters allowed in a column. By specifying a
smaller value, you can force lines to wrap
earlier in the export text file. For example,
by changing this setting to 50, Word will allow
a maximum of 50 characters per line in the
export file.
To change how Word converts a Text with Layout document, you will need to create
a Mstxtcnv.ini (if one does not already exist) in WordPad with the following
information, and then save it as a text file with the name of Mstxtcnv.ini in
the Windows folder:
[TextLytConv]
CharMaps=a,a
Width=80
PointSize=24
If there is a Mstxtcnv.ini file, open it in WordPad, type or change the
information, and then save and close the file.
Once the Mstxtcnv.ini file exists in the Windows folder, the Text with Layout
converter will use it when a Text with Layout file is saved or opened in
Microsoft Word.
For more information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:
Q172385 WD97: Text With Layout Not Listed in EditConversionOptions Macro
Q192971 WD97: Definitions of Typography Terms in Word
Q155426 WD: Tabs in Tables Lost When Saving As Text With Layout
Additional query words:
======================================================================
Keywords : kbdta word97
Technology : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version : WINDOWS:97
Issue type : kbinfo
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