Subscript letters in Messenger input box

[Joakim Möller]

Hi,

By mistake, I typed CTRL and "=" when chatting in Messenger. To my surprise,
all letters written are now in subscript, slightly below the "normal"
letters. I found out later that CTRL-= and CTRL-SHIFT-+ switches between
subscript and superscript in Microsoft Word. I tried the same commands in
WordPad and that seemed to work as well, even though you cannot change the
text in WordPad to subscript or superscript using the GUI. To my even
greater surprise, this seems to work in several other inputboxes and text
editing windows, such as in the inputboxes above this text in Outlook
Express 6. Perhaps this might have something to do with using RichEdit
controls?

Now to my question;

1) Is this a feature or bug?
2) Regardless of question nr 1, why is it possible to subscript but not
superscript in the Messenger inputbox?

It'd be fun to have a MS developer explain this to me.. :)

/ Joakim

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Joakim,

Wow! Even I didn't know this one. I can only get the superscript one to work here in Word
and only the subscript to work in Messenger (not quite sure why) -- do you know which locale
you're set to? Yes, I do think this is a feature, and it's probably being blocked in
Messenger (since it won't send this formatting information regardless).

Good find =).
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
"Joakim Möller" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> By mistake, I typed CTRL and "=" when chatting in Messenger. To my surprise,
> all letters written are now in subscript, slightly below the "normal"
> letters. I found out later that CTRL-= and CTRL-SHIFT-+ switches between
> subscript and superscript in Microsoft Word. I tried the same commands in
> WordPad and that seemed to work as well, even though you cannot change the
> text in WordPad to subscript or superscript using the GUI. To my even
> greater surprise, this seems to work in several other inputboxes and text
> editing windows, such as in the inputboxes above this text in Outlook
> Express 6. Perhaps this might have something to do with using RichEdit
> controls?
>
> Now to my question;
>
> 1) Is this a feature or bug?
> 2) Regardless of question nr 1, why is it possible to subscript but not
> superscript in the Messenger inputbox?
>
> It'd be fun to have a MS developer explain this to me.. :)
>
> / Joakim
>
>

[Joakim Möller]

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" > wrote in message
...
> Wow! Even I didn't know this one. I can only get the superscript one to
work here in Word
> and only the subscript to work in Messenger (not quite sure why) -- do you
know which locale
> you're set to? Yes, I do think this is a feature, and it's probably being
blocked in
> Messenger (since it won't send this formatting information regardless).

I normally use Swedish keyboard, and then I can access the "feature" using
CTRL-+ (key to the right of 0). With the keyboard set up to English, it's
CTRL-=. (the key left of BS)

It's strange that they block all the other RichEdit commands such as bold,
underline and such, but not the subscript. Nevertheless quite fun,
especially in other inputboxes.

> Good find =).

Thanks! Where can I collect a found-a-feature diploma? :)

/ Joakim

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Joakim,

Perhaps it was an oversight =).

Sadly, you'll have to print your own diploma in Word at this point -- I'll sign it though =).
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

"Joakim Möller" > wrote in message
...
> "Jonathan Kay [MVP]" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Wow! Even I didn't know this one. I can only get the superscript one to
> work here in Word
> > and only the subscript to work in Messenger (not quite sure why) -- do you
> know which locale
> > you're set to? Yes, I do think this is a feature, and it's probably being
> blocked in
> > Messenger (since it won't send this formatting information regardless).
>
> I normally use Swedish keyboard, and then I can access the "feature" using
> CTRL-+ (key to the right of 0). With the keyboard set up to English, it's
> CTRL-=. (the key left of BS)
>
> It's strange that they block all the other RichEdit commands such as bold,
> underline and such, but not the subscript. Nevertheless quite fun,
> especially in other inputboxes.
>
> > Good find =).
>
> Thanks! Where can I collect a found-a-feature diploma? :)
>
> / Joakim
>
>