Entourage 2004 is correcting my typing... incorrectly

[Juan Cabanela]

I was trying to send a message to friend about installing software on a
unix box.

If I try to enter "/usr/local/bin" the "l/" gets turned into a "l" with
a slash through it. Same with "o/" getting turned into "o" with a slash
through it (a Norwegian character I think). I checked and neither of
these corrections is in the AutoCorrect lists. In fact, turning auto
correction on/off doesn't change this. It affects typing and text that
is pasted in.

Any ideas what the cause of this is?

Juan

 

[Paul Berkowitz]

I was trying to send a message to friend about installing software on a
unix box.

If I try to enter "/usr/local/bin" the "l/" gets turned into a "l" with
a slash through it. Same with "o/" getting turned into "o" with a slash
through it (a Norwegian character I think). I checked and neither of
these corrections is in the AutoCorrect lists. In fact, turning auto
correction on/off doesn't change this. It affects typing and text that
is pasted in.

Any ideas what the cause of this is?

None of those character combinations got altered here. So I guess it
_doesn't_ always happen to you, does it? In fact, did you see those changes
in the Sent message in your own Entourage Sent Items folder, or are you just
reporting what your friend on another email program sees? Which email
program? Or do you mean you actually saw it change _as you were typing_?

If this is happening in an HTML message, try sending it as plain text. If
it's happening in plain text, try sending it as HTML. If you saw it change
as you were typing, then you must be in HTML. You could just change to Plain
Text. For HTML, go to Tools/AutoCorrect and uncheck "Replace text as you
type" and then in AutoFormat tab, uncheck "Replace Symbol characters with
Symbols". It's this last that's doing it. (I recommend unchecking "replace
straight quotes with smart quotes", too.)

--
Paul Berkowitz
MVP MacOffice
Entourage FAQ Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq/index.html>
AppleScripts for Entourage: <http://macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/>

Please "Reply To Newsgroup" to reply to this message. Emails will be
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PLEASE always state which version of Microsoft Office you are using -
**2004**, X or 2001. It's often impossible to answer your questions
otherwise.

 

[Dave Cortright]

I was trying to send a message to friend about installing software on a
unix box.

If I try to enter "/usr/local/bin" the "l/" gets turned into a "l" with
a slash through it. Same with "o/" getting turned into "o" with a slash
through it (a Norwegian character I think). I checked and neither of
these corrections is in the AutoCorrect lists. In fact, turning auto
correction on/off doesn't change this. It affects typing and text that
is pasted in.

Any ideas what the cause of this is?

Juan

I believe this is the ligature feature of Apple's text engine that is
kicking in. Try using a different font that doesn't support ligatures.

 

[Juan Cabanela]

None of those character combinations got altered here.

That is because I used MT-NewWatcher to post the message, not Entourage.

So I guess it
_doesn't_ always happen to you, does it?

Especially when not using Entourage.

In fact, did you see those changes
in the Sent message in your own Entourage Sent Items folder, or are you just
reporting what your friend on another email program sees?

As noted above, the changes occur as I type. Before the message is
sent. I have also discovered that the changes are visible in incoming
mail in that a friend's signature of "Bill/UB" becomes "Bil" followed by
l with a slash through it followed by "UB".

Which email
program? Or do you mean you actually saw it change _as you were typing_?

Yes, as I was typing. With HTML messaging turned OFF (As a unix geek, I
hate HTML email).

This is a very strange problem, because even with AutoCorrect turned off
this is happening. Only in Entourage (not in Word or Excel).

Juan

 

[Juan Cabanela]

I believe this is the ligature feature of Apple's text engine that is
kicking in. Try using a different font that doesn't support ligatures.

That is it! Thank you. It appears when I use Monaco font, this
ligature appears, but if I switch to Courier, it is gone.

Thank you. It was a most infuriating feature. Any way to turn this
uninvited "feature" off? After all, how is someone supposed to type
"l/" if the software is going to ALWAYS turn it into a l with a slash
through it?

Juan

 

[matt neuburg]

That is it! Thank you. It appears when I use Monaco font, this
ligature appears, but if I switch to Courier, it is gone.

The Hoefler font behaves the way you describe, but Monaco does not. If
you were getting this behavior and you thought you were using Monaco,
you have may be having font problems. m.

 

[Juan Cabanela]

The Hoefler font behaves the way you describe, but Monaco does not. If
you were getting this behavior and you thought you were using Monaco,
you have may be having font problems. m.

Any good (preferably freeware) tools available to diagnose font
problems. I can't imagine how Monaco was getting confused for anything
else (the font looked like the Monaco I know and love ).

Juan

 

[matt neuburg]

Any good (preferably freeware) tools available to diagnose font
problems.

This, indeed, is the bane of Mac OS X. If you're using Panther you can
employ Font Book; it will at least show you what/where all your fonts
are and will reveal possible conflicts. The best tools are Apple's font
tools, but they are command-line tools and are highly technical.

I believe you when you say what you were seeing was Monaco, not Hoefler.
They don't look alike! But OMM Monaco does not behave this way - only
Hoefler does this sort of thing, and only in Entourage. m.