WD: Size of Drawn Object Different from Expected Size

• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

SYMPTOMS

When you draw an object using the drawing tools in Word, the object may not be the size you expect.

CAUSE

This problem occurs if the Snap to Grid feature is set in centimeters.

When the grid is set in centimeters, Word rounds the size of the object to the nearest twip which may cause it to be an unexpected size.

NOTE: A twip is a unit of measurement that Word uses for specifying the size of an object.

For example, with a grid established to have .25 cm increments horizontally and .25 cm increments vertically, a line drawn to be 11 grid units long, would be expected to be 2.75 cm in length. The actual length of the line will report to be 2.76 cm.

WORKAROUND

To create an object with exact dimensions, use the following steps to specify the dimensions once the object is drawn:

1. Draw the desired object.

2. Select the object.

3. On the Format menu, click AutoShape (Drawing Object), and then click the Size (Size and Position) tab.

4. Specify the desired dimensions in the Height and Width boxes, and then click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

The exact size of the object can be found on the Size (Size and Position) tab in the Format AutoShape (Drawing Object) dialog box.

To Set the Default Unit of Measurement

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Click the General tab, and in the Measurement Units box, select the desired measurement unit (for example, centimeters). Then, click OK.