WingDings Does Not Export Character Map Correctly

 Last reviewed: August 29, 1995
Article ID: Q85000
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 4.0
  • Microsoft Works for Windows, version 2.0a

SUMMARY

Some fonts, including the WingDings font, included with Windows version 3.1 do not correctly export from Character Map, CHARMAP.EXE, into some Windows- based applications, such as Write and version 4.0 of Microsoft Excel for Windows.

NOTE: This problem does not occur with the Times New Roman or Arial fonts.

MORE INFORMATION

When using the Character Map to insert a character into a Windows application, you are copying the character to the clipboard. The font chosen in the Character Map must be the same font as selected in the application. If Wingdings is selected in the Character Map then the Wingdings font must be selected in the application.

If, for example, you copy the WingDings ampersand character (keystroke k) from Character Map, and paste it into Excel where you have the Microsoft Sans Serif font selected, the Sans Serif k character (keystroke k) is pasted in rather than the Wingdings ampersand.

WORKAROUND

To resolve this, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Clipboard, or open the Clipbook Viewer.

  2. Select the View menu.

  3. Notice that Default Format is checked and Rich Text Format is greyed out(not available).

  4. Choose Text.

  5. Close the Clipboard or Clipbook Viewer.

  6. Open Character Map and copy the same Wingdings symbol.

  7. Open the Clipboard.

  8. Notice that the symbol displays correctly.

  9. Click on the View menu and notice that Default Format is checked again and now Rich Text Format is available.

Copying a Wingdings symbol while the Text option was selected, forced the clipboard to add Rich Text format as an available option thus, translating the correct symbol.

To insert a WingDings character in a file, proceed as follows:

  1. In your application, locate the position where you want the WingDing character to be located and choose WingDings as your font.

  2. Select the WingDing character from Character Map, and paste it into your application.

If you have already pasted the character into your document and it appears in the incorrect font, you can convert it to WingDings as follows:

  1. Select the text that was supposed to be WingDings.

  2. Use the font menu in your application to convert the text back to WingDings.

NOTE: You can insert the Wingding font multiple times by typing the font and then choosing Copy from the Edit menu. You can then paste the font whenever you want regardless of the chosen font.

KBCategory: kbprint kbprb kbtool kbinterop
KBSubcategory: win31
Additional reference words: 3.10 3.11 tt truetype true type ttf winword

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Last reviewed: August 29, 1995
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