WD: Using the ASCII and ANSI Characters in Word for Windows

ID: Q58917

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a
Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c
Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a

SUMMARY

This article contains a sample macro that inserts the extended ANSI character set for a chosen font into a document.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

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

For printing and display on a computer system, each font has its own character set according to ASCII, ANSI, OEM, or other industry standards that define what character is represented by a specific keystroke. Windows uses the ANSI character set. Many non-Windows applications use the ASCII character set.

Microsoft Word for Windows allows you to access special characters from the Ascii and Ansii character sets. The Ansi characters, not the ASCII characters, are the characters returned when using the CHR() macro function. You can also get these characters by pressing the ALT key while you type 0 (zero) and the ANSI table number for the character on the numeric keypad. For example, pressing ALT+065(on the numeric keypad) inserts a capital "A" into your document.

You can obtain a list of the ANSI characters 128-255 by using the following example WordBasic macro:

   Sub Main

      ' Create new document.
      FileNew

      ' Prompt for name and size of font from
      ' which the Ansi character will be retreived.
      fFont$ = InputBox$("Font?", "FONT")
      fSize$ = InputBox$("Size?", "SIZE")

      ' Insert the name of the chosen font.
      Insert fFont$ + CHR$(13)

      ' Retreive Ansi character set.
      For iCount = 128 TO 255
         ' Set font to default font.
         Font "Courier", 12
         ' Insert Ansi character number.
         Insert STR$(iCount) + " - "
         ' Set font to chosen font.
         Font fFont$, VAL(fSize$)
         ' Insert Ansi character.
         Insert CHR$(I) + CHR$(13)
      ' Loop until done.
      Next

   End Sub

Additional query words:

Keywords          : wordnt kbmacroexample winword ntword word6 winword2 word7 kbFont word 
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0,1.1,1.1a,2.0,2.0a,2.0a-CD,2.0b,2.0c,6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto kbinfo

Last Reviewed: April 9, 1999