WD98: InsertSymbol Result Not Translated Between Mac and ANSI

ID: Q181291

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

If you run a Visual Basic for Applications macro that inserts a character, a different character may be inserted when the macro is run on the Macintosh than when it is run on Windows.

CAUSE

Word currently does not support conversion of Macintosh CharNum values to equivalent ANSI values, and vice versa.

When a Visual Basic for Applications macro that includes the InsertSymbol Method is exchanged between Word 98 Macintosh Edition or later for the Macintosh and Word 97 or later for Windows, the numeric value of the CharNum or CharacterNumber command is not translated from its Macintosh character set value to its ANSI equivalent, and vice versa.

WORKAROUND

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/

Edit the macro on the target platform, replacing the character value with the value that gives correct results.

In the following example, replace the number 203 with 192.

(ANSI 192, Capital A Grave, is the equivalent of Macintosh character 203.)

The following macro instructions insert the Capital A Grave character:

   ' Word for Windows instruction
   Selection.InsertSymbol CharacterNumber := 192, Font:= "(normal text)"

   ' Macintosh Word instruction
   Selection.InsertSymbol CharacterNumber := 203, Font:= "(normal text)"

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

The following Word 98 Macintosh Edition example macro instruction, which inserts the character Capital A Grave (Macintosh character 203) in a Word document, is transferred unchanged to Word 97 for Windows:

   Selection.InsertSymbol CharacterNumber := 203, Font:= "(normal text)"

If the above instruction is run in Word 97 for Windows, a CE Diaeresis (ANSI 203) is inserted instead of the intended Capital A Grave.

REFERENCES

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q163435
   TITLE     : VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for
               Applications

Additional query words: wordcon conversion converted converts transfer transfers translation translate charnum symbol

Keywords          : kbdta kbdtacode macword98 
Platform          : MACINTOSH
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbnofix

Last Reviewed: April 6, 1999