TechNote (Archived)

Text Shifts Position On-Screen or Differs from Printed Appearance in FrameMaker (Windows)

Issue

Text shifts position on-screen in Adobe FrameMaker 5 and later in Windows or does not match the printed appearance. For example, one or more of the following may occur:

- A forced return (Shift+Return) affects the spacing of a line of text.

- Text within or next to a drawn object shifts at different zoom levels.

- Text wraps to the next line although the right margin has space to accommodate it.

Solution

Upgrade FrameMaker if necessary and change the DisplayUsingPrinterMetrics option in the maker.ini file:

Note: If you change the DisplayUsingPrinterMetrics option, text may be less readable on-screen.

1. If you use FrameMaker 5.1.1 or later, proceed to step 2. If you use FrameMaker 5 or 5.1, upgrade to the current version. For upgrade information, visit Adobe's Web site at www.adobe.com/products/framemaker/main.html .

2. Exit from FrameMaker.

3. Make a backup copy of the maker.ini file, which is in the FrameMaker installation folder. (You can revert to the backup copy should problems occur.)

4. Open the maker.ini file in a text editor that can save in text-only format (e.g., WordPad).

5. Find the following line in the Font Options section:

DisplayUsingPrinterMetrics=Off

6. Change the line to read

DisplayUsingPrinterMetrics=On

7. Save the maker.ini file in text-only format.

8. Restart FrameMaker.

Additional Information

A Type 1 font has two components: A bitmap (screen) font, which an application uses for on-screen text, and an outline (printer) font, which an application uses for printed text. The font metrics (the instructions for character spacing and composition) may differ between screen and printer fonts.

When composing text for the screen, FrameMaker by default uses screen font metrics for character spacing and uses printer font metrics to calculate line and page breaks. It also uses printer font metrics for printed output. Differences in printer and screen font metrics can cause a discrepancy in how text appears printed and on-screen. At each zoom level, FrameMaker uses font metrics to recalculate line breaks, page breaks, and character spacing. Depending on the zoom level, text may shift position on-screen.

The maker.ini file in FrameMaker 5.1.1 and later includes an option, DisplayUsingPrinterMetrics, that lets you specify whether FrameMaker uses printer font metrics or screen font metrics to calculate on-screen character spacing. When FrameMaker uses printer font metrics to calculate on-screen character spacing, the on-screen and printed appearance of text is the same at each zoom level. On-screen text, however, may be less readable.