WD:Character, Word Count Differences in Word Processing Programs

ID: Q136861

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Word, the number that is displayed in the Characters section when you click the Word Count command on the Tools menu may be less than the result of a character count in other word processing programs (such as WordPerfect for Windows or Ami Pro for Windows).

CAUSE

When you use the Word Count feature, Word does not count nonprinting characters, such as spaces, paragraph marks, line feed characters, or tabs. In contrast, other word processing programs may count these items.

Word 97 for Windows and Word 98 Macintosh Edition provide character counts including and excluding spaces.

WORKAROUND

The following macro counts all the characters in the document including spaces, tabs, and paragraph marks (except the last one in the document).

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   http://www.microsoft.com/supportnet/refguide/ 

   Sub MAIN
      If IsMacro() Then
         MsgBox "This will not run in a macro window."
      Else
         ScreenUpdating
         EditBookmark .Name = "NumCharPlaceHolder", .Add
         EditSelectAll
         Number = Len(Selection$()) - 1
         StartOfDocument
         EditGoTo .Destination = "t"
         While SelInfo(12) = - 1
            If SelInfo(12) = - 1 Then
               Rows = SelInfo(15) * 2
               While SelInfo(13) <> SelInfo(15)
                  NextCell : Count = Count + 2
               Wend
               Count = Count + (SelInfo(18) * 2)
            End If
            Number = Number - Count - Rows
            count = 0
            EndOfRow : CharRight 2
            EditGoTo .Destination = "t"
         Wend
         EditBookmark .Name = "NumCharPlaceHolder", .Goto
         EditBookmark .Name = "NumCharPlaceHolder", .Delete
      End If
      MsgBox "Character Count:" + Str$(Number)
   End Sub

STATUS

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Word.

Additional query words: tools word count character spaces word perfect wordperfect wpft ami pro amipro word basic macro space characters

Keywords          : kbmacro kbproof wordnt kbmacroexample winword ntword macword word6 word7 word95 
Version           : WINDOWS:6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a; MACINTOSH:6.0,6.0.1,6.0.6.0.1a
Platform          : MACINTOSH Win95 WINDOWS winnt
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: April 9, 1999