MS "Help" messages print far too small.

[Morgan Perkins]

I'm an old geezer. Poor eyesight, etc. A couple hundred of us belong to a
computer club in this retirement village.
For years now we have been complaining about the font size utilized in the
MS Help messages. We have to print out the instructions so that we can
follow them in performing the tasks that they outline.

That said, we have been trying for YEARS to change the type and font so they
are more readable. We have exhausted all sources with the computer
manufacturers, Dell, etc., the printer manufacturers, Epson, etc., and
anyone that will listen. Everything points to Microsoft and that has
become so complex that we can't understand exactly what they want us to try.
Here's some of the double talk we have uncovered in Microsoft Windows
instructions:

To Set Printer Properties - this option is available only if folders are set
to look like a web page. HOW ????

Printer Properties - most printers allow for the following - choosing font
types. First you have to break into Printer Properties. See above.
HOW ?

To Set Printer Defaults - only if you have the Manage Printers permission.
Impossible to obtain. We are all private owners, we don't have managers.
We have even tried holding down the contrl key while right clicking on the
selected printed. Another piece of false information.

I won't bore you with anymore of these years of frustration. We are
currently using many sheets of paper to obtain tiny paragraphs of
instructions that are quite difficult to read.

If anyone out there in Microsoft Computerland knows a reasonable answer to
this situation it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Stephen Harris]

I'm an old geezer. Poor eyesight, etc. A couple hundred of us belong to a
computer club in this retirement village.
For years now we have been complaining about the font size utilized in the
MS Help messages. We have to print out the instructions so that we can
follow them in performing the tasks that they outline.

That said, we have been trying for YEARS to change the type and font so they
are more readable. We have exhausted all sources with the computer
manufacturers, Dell, etc., the printer manufacturers, Epson, etc., and
anyone that will listen. Everything points to Microsoft and that has
become so complex that we can't understand exactly what they want us to try.
Here's some of the double talk we have uncovered in Microsoft Windows
instructions:

To Set Printer Properties - this option is available only if folders are set
to look like a web page. HOW ????

Printer Properties - most printers allow for the following - choosing font
types. First you have to break into Printer Properties. See above.
HOW ?

To Set Printer Defaults - only if you have the Manage Printers permission.
Impossible to obtain. We are all private owners, we don't have managers.
We have even tried holding down the contrl key while right clicking on the
selected printed. Another piece of false information.

I won't bore you with anymore of these years of frustration. We are
currently using many sheets of paper to obtain tiny paragraphs of
instructions that are quite difficult to read.

If anyone out there in Microsoft Computerland knows a reasonable answer to
this situation it would be greatly appreciated.

Hello,

If you have a hard time reading text in Internet
Explorer go to View, then select text size and
then make it larger or largest. If this message appears
small, then if you are using Outlook Express as your
NewsReader, for instance, you can go to View / Text size /
and select larger or largest (this post sent in Html format)
in order to view the help file about Magnifier below.

The text below was created by copying a Help file into
Notepad. I selected the text I wanted with a mouse,
then used ctrl-C to copy the text to a clipboard, and
then ctrl-V to copy the text into an open window of
Notepad. I used Format then Font to pick a size 14
font which displays boldly. I am not sure how large
this txt will appear in the newsgroup message. You can
also copy and paste text from a Help file into an email
message and send it to yourself. Then use View /
Text size to enlarge the text you are reading

Or you can use Magnifier which for windows xp is
found in Start /All Programs/Accessories/Accesibility
/ Magnifier (2nd item down in list)

begin quoted help file:
Magnifier overview
Magnifier is a display utility that makes the screen
more readable for users who have impaired vision.
Magnifier creates a separate window
that displays a magnified portion of your screen. You
can also change the color scheme of the magnification
window for easier visibility. You can move or resize
the Magnifier window, or drag it to the edge of the
screen and lock it into place. Magnifier is intended
to provide a minimum level of functionality for users
with slight visual impairments.
When using Magnifier, you can:
* Change the magnification level
* Change the size of the magnification window
* Change the position of the magnification window on
your desktop
* Invert the screen colors
Magnifier also has a number of tracking options,
including:
* Following the mouse pointer as it moves on your
screen
* Following the keyboard focus which centers on the
location of the cursor
* Following text editing
When Magnifier is open, you can right-click the
magnification window to set these Magnifier options,
or to hide or exit Magnifier.

Regards,
Stephen

 

[SlowJet]

Hi Morgan,

I just use the Magifier (Start, Programs, Accesories,
Magnifier)
to read your post.
I looked up on HELP how to chnage font on help.
I found this and here is the case.
To change the size of the font in Windows Help, use the
following steps:

NOTE: If you change the size of the font in Windows Help,
this change is applied to Web pages you may view in
Internet Explorer, and is also applied to the contents of
folders with the View As Web Page feature enabled.same font.

Click Start, point to Settings, then click Control Panel,
and then double-click Internet Options (or Internet).
Click Accessibility, and then click the "Ignore font
sizes specified on Web pages" check box to select it to
make the font size larger, or click this box to clear it
if you want a smaller font.
Click OK, and then click OK.
with the Menu (View, Text Size, Largest) but setting the
MS Help font overides this for all web pages.<<<

Printer fonts size for noral programs like WORD are easy
so I won't go there, but yo can also copy and paste text
from a web page into word, then resize the font, and then
print it. You can read about that in the MS Help Font
once you turn it on.

Finally, you can lower your screen resolotion to 640 X
480 for reading. You can alway set it back when needed.
(Right click on the Desktop screen somewhere, Properties,
Settings TAB)

GL,

SJ

 

[Stephen Harris]

I'm an old geezer. Poor eyesight, etc. A couple hundred of us belong to
a computer club in this retirement village.
For years now we have been complaining about the font size utilized in the
MS Help messages. We have to print out the instructions so that we can
follow them in performing the tasks that they outline.

That said, we have been trying for YEARS to change the type and font so
they are more readable. We have exhausted all sources with the computer
manufacturers, Dell, etc., the printer manufacturers, Epson, etc., and
anyone that will listen. Everything points to Microsoft and that has
become so complex that we can't understand exactly what they want us to
try. Here's some of the double talk we have uncovered in Microsoft Windows
instructions:

To Set Printer Properties - this option is available only if folders are
set to look like a web page. HOW ????

Printer Properties - most printers allow for the following - choosing font
types. First you have to break into Printer Properties. See above.
HOW ?

To Set Printer Defaults - only if you have the Manage Printers permission.
Impossible to obtain. We are all private owners, we don't have managers.
We have even tried holding down the contrl key while right clicking on the
selected printed. Another piece of false information.

I won't bore you with anymore of these years of frustration. We are
currently using many sheets of paper to obtain tiny paragraphs of
instructions that are quite difficult to read.

If anyone out there in Microsoft Computerland knows a reasonable answer to
this situation it would be greatly appreciated.

I have Windows XP. Besides the other methods I mentioned the
Help & Support Center can change the size of fonts.
Options / Change Help & Support Center Options /
Font size used for Help content / choose Large

Probably, selecting, copying and pasting the Help text into
Notepad is the easiest; takes 15 seconds when you are used
to the process including selecting the text again and using
Format /Font to make the font larger and/or bolder.

Windows 98 has Magnifier also. And I think it works if you
copy the windows 98 .exe file and the associated .dll file
into the appropriate directory, for Windows 95 also.

Regards,
Stephen

 

[Jake]

first the programmers got to stop smoking the funny stuff..