WORD 2004--Unicode, Fonts, and Option Keys

[macmusicfonts]

I've read many posts regarding the problem with fonts and Word 2004.
I wish MicroSoft had programmed in a Preference Choice for using the
older non-Unicode fonts because it seems to have generated problems
with a lot of people for varying reasons.

My questions are--

1. Is there a "workaround" for using older TrueType fonts that have
important characters on Shift/Option keys?

2. I seem to find problems with these Shift/Option keys: Shift/
Option 1,2,5,6,0, and k
I get either open rectangles or international symbols (i.e.: euro,
fl, fi, an "apple" symbol, etc.)
Is there something I can "pull up", "re-assign", "turn off", or
"deselect" which will help me locate and type the characters I need
for those keystrokes?

Thanks so much.-88

 

[Elliott Roper]

I've read many posts regarding the problem with fonts and Word 2004.
I wish MicroSoft had programmed in a Preference Choice for using the
older non-Unicode fonts because it seems to have generated problems
with a lot of people for varying reasons.

You don't need a preference. If you use a non-unicode font, you get the
non-unicode characters.
Make use of Apple's Font Book to see which is which.
Be aware of the cross-platform inconsistencies if you hand a document
set with non-unicode fonts to someone on the dark side.

My questions are--

1. Is there a "workaround" for using older TrueType fonts that have
important characters on Shift/Option keys?

Just select the font and use the keys. Most of the time you get the
same glyphs with the same keys on unicode fonts. I don't think the
fonts affect the key bindings directly, but I could be wrong. The only
time I see the font influencing what is typed is when the current font
lacks a particular glyph altogether - which is when you get the open
rectangle.

2. I seem to find problems with these Shift/Option keys: Shift/
Option 1,2,5,6,0, and k
I get either open rectangles or international symbols (i.e.: euro,
fl, fi, an "apple" symbol, etc.)

That is more less what you are supposed to get. In fact that is the old
and new fonts working together nicely with the keyboard.
I get a fancy big right slash, a trademark symbol , a fi ligature (in
some fonts) Þ, a fl ligature þ, an open curly single quote, and an
Apple symbol • respectively whether I'm in Type 1, Truetype or Opentype
fonts (as long as the font has the glyph)

Is there something I can "pull up", "re-assign", "turn off", or
"deselect" which will help me locate and type the characters I need
for those keystrokes?

Use the (Apple) character palette to get other characters. It will help
you find the fonts that have suitable glyphs. It is tiresome and time
consuming, but it does work.
Use the (Apple) keyboard viewer set to the appropriate font as an aid
to seeing what is available
Apple's Font Book is useful for determining which kind of font it is
and whether a particular glyph is present.

Note also that Word will try to substitute a font when the glyph is not
present in your chosen font. Usually with disastrous results.
Word is also hopeless at digging out swash variants and other arcane
fontishness.

When all else fails, use TextEdit to adjudicate on whether it is Word
or the font jerking you around.