Zoom at 100% is much smaller than true size

[jmclean]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I was excited to find this posting <http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums/Word/2433/0&gt <http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums/Word/2433/0&gt>;, which addresses this question, but then sad to see that it ended inconclusively.

In Print Layout View, at zoom=100%, the width of a letter page is much less than 8.5 inches on the screen. To make the on-screen page 8.5 inches wide, I need a zoom of about 137%.

I think I even know where that number comes from. Modern displays tend to have around 100 pixels per inch, but there was a long period when the standard Apple displays we 72 pixels per inch. 100/72 = 139%. Apparently Word for Mac is still being designed around this antiquated standard.

The thread referenced above suggested that this was adjustable in Word for Windows, but I can't find any evidence that it is. However, there was a similar period when the Windows display standard was 96 pixels per inch. I suspect that Windows users just don't notice the size error, as 96 is pretty close to 100.

I guess Mac users don't worry about it too much either - I've had to troll the Internet quite deeply to find any reference to the issue. But I'm still hoping against hope that someone will know a secret way to tell Word what screen dpi one is using, so that zoom=100% can actually be full size.

 

[CyberTaz]

Sorry to shatter your dreams, but the poster in the thread you referred to
was dead wrong in his/her recollections, perhaps deceived in some way or
possibly had the luxury of some sort of special video setup. Neither Windows
XP Pro nor even Vista Ultimate offer any such capability. In fact, Windows
doesn't handle video performance at all other than auto-adjusting to the max
resolution of the video card/driver & monitor. I didn't have the heart to
argue with someone that convinced, but I have since consulted with 2
different long-term MCSE's & confirmed that no such setting exists.

Additionally, it would be virtually impossible in the world of Windows
because of the vast array of display options/combinations over which MS has
no control - they don't make the computers It would be far more likely
in the Mac environment since Apple controls both the OS & the hardware. Not
to mention that Mac has *always* excelled in graphic performance. [I'm
compelled to acknowledge that the gap has narrowed in recent years ]

What *is* possible is that on a properly equipped system - including most
any Mac - certain software provides that kind of capability. However, I've
only seen it in higher-end graphics, video editing & desktop publishing
software. Programs such as Photoshop, Final Cut, & possibly InDesign have
the capability, but Word has definitely never offered it.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac