WD2000: Symbol Characters Change to Box Characters

• Microsoft Word 2000

SYMPTOMS

When you format text with a symbol font, such as Wingdings, and then change to a non-symbol font such as Times New Roman, the text is replaced with box characters.

CAUSE

Word displays the box characters after it translates the symbol font to its Unicode equivalent.

This problem occurs if the following steps are taken in the order listed:

1. The text is formatted with a symbol font, such as Wingdings.



2. The file is saved.



3. The text is reformatted with a non-symbol font, such as Times New Roman.

WORKAROUND

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   Sub ConvertSymbol()
      Dim dlg As Object
      Dim NoFC As Integer
      Dim SCP As Integer
      Dim StartRange As Range
      Dim UniCodeNum As Integer
      ' Temporarily disable Screen Updating
      Application.ScreenUpdating = False
      ' Temporarily disable Smart Cut & Paste
      If Options.SmartCutPaste = True Then
         SCP = 1
         Options.SmartCutPaste = False
      End If
      ' Temporarily display field text
      If ActiveWindow.View.ShowFieldCodes = False Then
         NoFC = 1
         ActiveWindow.View.ShowFieldCodes = True
      End If
      ' Set StartRange variable to current selection's range
      Set StartRange = Selection.Range
      Selection.Collapse
      ' Select first, then each next character in user-defined selection
      Selection.MoveRight unit:=wdCharacter, Extend:=wdExtend
      While Selection.End <= StartRange.End And _
      ActiveDocument.Content.End > Selection.End
        ' If the character is a space, then move to next character
        Set dlg = Dialogs(wdDialogInsertSymbol)
        UniCodeNum = dlg.charnum
        If UniCodeNum = 32 Then
          Selection.Collapse
          Selection.MoveRight unit:=wdCharacter, Extend:=wdMove
          Selection.MoveRight unit:=wdCharacter, Extend:=wdExtend
        End If
        ' Loop, converting symbol Unicode characters to ASCII characters
        Set dlg = Dialogs(wdDialogInsertSymbol)
        UniCodeNum = dlg.charnum
        While UniCodeNum < 0 And Selection.End <= StartRange.End _
        And ActiveDocument.Content.End > Selection.End
           Selection.Delete
           Selection.InsertAfter (ChrW(UniCodeNum + 4096))
           Selection.Collapse (wdCollapseEnd)
           Selection.MoveRight unit:=wdCharacter, Extend:=wdExtend
           Set dlg = Dialogs(wdDialogInsertSymbol)
           UniCodeNum = dlg.charnum
        Wend
        Selection.Collapse (wdCollapseEnd)
        Selection.MoveRight unit:=wdCharacter, Extend:=wdExtend
      Wend
      ' Reset Word document settings
      If SCP = 1 Then Options.SmartCutPaste = True
      If NoFC = 1 Then ActiveWindow.View.ShowFieldCodes = False
         Selection.Collapse (wdCollapseStart)
         Selection.MoveLeft unit:=wdCharacter
         Application.ScreenUpdating = True
   End Sub
 

MORE INFORMATION

The following table lists common symbol and non-symbol fonts.

   Symbol Fonts                             Non-Symbol Fonts
   ---------------------------------------------------------

   Bookshelf Symbol 3                       Arial
   Marlett                                  Book Antiqua
   Monotype Sorts                           Bookman Old Style
   MS Outlook                               Century Schoolbook
   MT Extra                                 Courier New
   Symbol                                   Garamond
   Wingdings                                Times New Roman 

Unicode

http://www.unicode.org/

Additional query words: square boxed garbage incorrect font symbols change changed changing

Keywords : kbdta kbdtacode kbwordvba wd2000
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb