>I don't know. Maybe I'M missing something - I need compressed output fromt he printer, to fit the report on standard width paper. This, as far as I remember, is the 17cpi fonts on the Epson LX-1050. So, I selected the Draft 17cpi printer font as the default font for the report. I double checked - the font on the text and field controls is indeed that same draft 17cpi. I have to duplicate as near as possible the existing report which is generated from a BASIC program, it looks something like this:
>

>                       1     1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2
>     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
>     ===================     =====================
>       (data here)               (data here)
>

>
>In design mode, the '1' for the vertical 10 column is above the space between the 7 and 8. The '=' signs used as the header extend well past the right edge. This is what it took to look right in Preview. And it's the right number - from the 1 to 10 there are 19 total characters and spaces. 19 '=' chaacters in design mode extend way out. It's definitely displaying using a proportional font, yet in preview it appears to be using the fixed font because it all lines up.

Hi, Randy,

Printer fonts (which are not part of system fonts) are replaced by other fonts which have a screen definition. For instance, my Xerox have a couple of built-in fonts that are replaced by a) Times New Roman [proportional serif fonts]; b) Arial [proportional sans-serif fonts]; and c) Courier New [fixed fonts].

I believe that when the original font is too small (in either dimension) Windows gives up and tries the next font and size it has to ensure screen readability. As you noticed, that won't affect the printing.

As a suggestion, and since the printer driver is probably using the printer in graphics mode anyway, why don't you choose a small Windows fixed font to do the job and forget about Draft 17cpi? Does your client requires you to "keep appearances" in the application's reports?

bye