Works Communications: Extended Characters Wrong When Copied (124407)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Works 3.0
  • Microsoft Works 3.0a
  • Microsoft Works 3.0b
  • Microsoft Works 4.5
  • Microsoft Works 4.5a
  • Microsoft Works for Windows 95, version 4.0
  • Microsoft Works for Windows 95, version 4.0 4.0a
This article was previously published under Q124407

SYMPTOMS

If you have use characters in a Word Processor document in Works and you copy the information and paste it into a Communications document, it may display incorrectly. For example, the copyright symbol may be displayed as the lowercase letter "r" or the cents symbol as a lowercase "o" with an accent over it. The same problem happens if an extended character is copied from the Communications module and pasted in a Word Processor document.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Works version 3.0 for Windows.

This problem was corrected in Works version 3.0a and 3.0b. In Works 4.0, 4.5, and 4.5a.

MORE INFORMATION

In Works, the conversion from the ANSI character set the Word Processing module uses to the OEM character set the Communications module uses is not correct. This character set conversion is improved in Works version 3.0a and 3.0b. Additional improvements occurred in Works 4.0 and 4.5. The conversion of many of the extended characters was completely corrected in Works 3.0a and 3.0b. Some characters do not convert precisely but are improved; for example, the registered symbol converts as a lowercase "r" instead of a "<<" character. In Works 4.0, 4.5, and 4.5a the registered symbol and copyright symbol converts correctly.

The following table lists some examples of how extended characters convert from the Word Processor to the Communications module in Works. 
  Character                 Works 3.0         Works 3.0a/3.0b    Works 4.0
  ---------                 ---------         ---------------    ---------

  Cents                     "o" with accent   *correct*          *correct*
  1/4                       graphics symbol   *correct*          *correct*
  1/2                       graphics symbol   *correct*          *correct*
  3/4                       graphics symbol   underline          *correct*
  Spanish question mark     graphics symbol   *correct*          *correct*
  Registered                "<<" character    "r"                *correct*
  Copyright                 "r"               "c"                *correct*
NOTE: Many other character conversion improvements exist in Works 3.0a and 3.0b, and Works 4.0 and 4.5 that are not listed in the sample table.

WORKAROUND

When using Works, you can retrieve the text that is corrupted in a communications session by copying the text and pasting it into a new Word Processor document. The actual data is not corrupted; just the display of the data in the Communications module is corrupted.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/15/2004
Keywords:kbprb KB124407
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.