Word: Creating White Text on a Black Background in Word 5.0

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh versions 5.0, 5.1

SUMMARY

In Word, you can create white text on a black background using three different methods. These methods are accomplished by using a combination of character and paragraph formatting, by using the Picture command, or by using PostScript commands.

The character and paragraph formatting method and the PostScript commands method reverse entire paragraphs of text. The Picture command can be used to reverse a word or words. However, since a graphic is created with this method, positioning (using the Format Frame command) is often necessary to obtain the desired results.

Character and Paragraph Formatting

To create reverse type using character and paragraph formatting, do the following:

1. Select the paragraph (or paragraphs) to be reversed.

2. From the Format menu, choose Character.

3. From the Color box, select White. Choose the OK button.

4. From the Format menu, choose Border.

5. From the Shading box, select 100%. Choose the OK button.

Picture Command

To create reverse type with the Picture command, do the following:

1. Place the insertion point at the location where the graphic will be inserted.

2. From the Insert menu, choose Picture. Choose the New Picture button.

3. From the Tool palette, select the Text tool. Click in the Picture window and type the desired text.

4. Select the text with the Selection Tool. From the Line Color palette, select white.

5. Select one of the shape tools (square, circle, and so on) and draw a shape around the text.

6. With the shape selected, click the Fill Color palette and select Black.

7. With the shape selected, click the Front/Back tool and select Send To Back.

8. Close the Picture window.

When you create a graphic in the Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, Picture Window, graphic elements such as circles and squares have a default background fill of 100 percent. If this object is then printed and the printer is setup to print Black & White, the graphic will print solid black. Even if the color of the filled graphic is white. The graphic can be printed as a white solid fill if the printer is set to Color/Grayscale. To set the LaserWriter to Color/Grayscale, select Print from the File menu and choose the Color/Grayscale button.

PostScript Commands

For more information on using PostScript commands to create reverse text, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   PostScript and black and white and background