How Print Reduction Works in Word for the Macintosh
  
PSS ID Number: Q114207
Article last modified on 03-07-1997
 

 

 

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MACINTOSH
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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Word for Macintosh, versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 5.1a
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SYMPTOMS
========
 
When you attempt to do a print reduction on a document, the results may not
be as you expected. For example, rather than reducing the whole page, with
its layout intact, Word may move text to a new position on the page or to a
new page altogether.
 
CAUSE
=====
 
Print reduction works differently in different versions of Word.
 
 - In Word versions 3.0x, print reduction reduces the whole screen image
   and moves it to the upper-left corner of the page, much the way a copy
   machine performs a reduction.
 
 - In Word versions 4.0 and later, print reduction reduces the contents of
   the page and moves onto the page any additional text that will fit (as
   if you had reduced the font size). This method adheres more to Apple
   Macintosh standards for reduction.
 
MORE INFORMATION
================
 
Print Reduction in Word 3.0x
----------------------------
 
Specify the desired print reduction in the Print dialog box. While this
reduces the screen image, wordwrap and page layout are maintained (as when
printed at 100 percent).
 
Print Reduction in Word 4.0 and Later
-------------------------------------
 
Because these versions of Word do not reduce the amount of printable area
(as Word 3.0x does), Word places more text on the page to fill the area
that is freed up by the reduction of the entire page (as specified in Page
Setup).
 
In the Normal and Page Layout views (Galley and Page View in Word 4.0),
Word creates a "virtual" page on screen, showing you the text, indents,
margins, tabs, and graphics in a nonreduced state. Thus, when you examine
your ruler, you see that the mark for your right margin (the vertical
dotted line) has moved to the right, based proportionally on the percentage
of reduction you indicate. When you choose Print, Word reduces this
"virtual" page uniformly to fit on the size of paper you have selected.
 
For example, if you have a document with 12-point text and margins set to 1
inch on all sides for a US Letter page size (8.5-by-11 inches), the Normal
ruler shows 0-inch and 6.5-inch indents (printable area) at a 100-percent
reduction, and 0- and 15-inch indents at a 50-percent reduction. The
margins are always 1 inch from the end of the page, but the page expands in
inverse proportion to the amount you set in print reduction, showing as 17
inches wide, or 200 percent of the original.
 
When printed, the text prints at 50 percent of 12 points, or 6 points; and
the margins print at 50 percent of 1 inch, or 0.5 inch.
 
Imitating Word 3.0's Print Reduction in Later Versions
------------------------------------------------------
 
Although in Word versions 4.0 and later, you cannot exactly duplicate Word
3.0x's print reduction technique, you can make some adjustments so that
when you print your document, the margin setup is maintained (as it is in
Word 3.0x).
 
In addition to specifying the reduction percentage in the Page Setup dialog
box, use the formulas below to calculate the new margins (examples in
brackets are based on the settings in the example in the previous section
above):
 
   New Top =    Top/reduction  {1/.5=2}
   New Bottom = (Height-(Top*reduction)-(Bottom*reduction))*reduction
                {(11-(1*.5)-(1*.5))*.5=5}
   New Left =   Left/reduction  {1/.5=2}
   New Right =  (Width-(Left*reduction)-(Right*reduction))*reduction
                {(8.5-(1*.5)-(1*.5))*.5=3.75}
 
Even though these margins do not maintain the wordwrap structure, they
position the text in the same location (same top and left margins) as Word
3.0x does.
 
Troubleshooting Print Reduction
-------------------------------
 
Currently, the LaserWriter driver does not support margins (when printed)
less than 0.5 inch for a letter-sized page and less than 0.9 inch for a
legal-sized page. If you have the Larger Print Area (Fewer Downloadable
Fonts) option selected, you can decrease the minimum margins to 0.25 inch
and 0.5 inch, respectively. (To locate this option, choose Page Setup from
the File menu, and choose the Options button [in Word 3.0x, choose Page
Setup while holding down the SHIFT key].)
 
Word has an upper limit of 22.75 inches for any dimension of its "virtual"
page (normal and page layout view); if your horizontal or vertical print
area is longer than this when reduced, Word prints only the text within its
limits, leaving extra white space on the page.
 
When you use the ImageWriter LQ, note that its Page Setup dialog box offers
reductions of Full, 33%, and 66%. A 33% reduction is equal to a Reduce or
Enlarge: 67% from the LaserWriter Page Setup dialog box.
 
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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1997.