TextEdit Font Sizes

[Matte2]

If I type something on TextEdit in Helvetia Size 14 font, when I go to print the document or convert it into a PDF, the print is almost microscopic. However, when I print something I typed on Mail (the default Mac OS email program) in Helvetia Size 14 font, it prints fine and readable. What explains this difference? How much do I have to enlarge the Helvetia font on TextEdit to equate it to Size 14 font in a PDF document?

 

[Zazoh]

Is “Wrap to page” turned on under Format?

 

[Gregg2]

Apparently the default is that "wrap to page" is off. I'm curious about what that is supposed to accomplish. Why would that make text appear tiny? I would have thought the opposite for a short text string.

 

[Zazoh]

Apparently the default is that "wrap to page" is off. I'm curious about what that is supposed to accomplish. Why would that make text appear tiny? I would have thought the opposite for a short text string.

Apparently it’s a long standing bug Apple never intended to fix. The print is what you see is what you get. With wrap on, it shows the page as defined in the margins. So if the page is set for size of paper, it then displays as it will print.

Monitor resolution varies so much maybe without defining the boundaries, maybe it uses a different print routine?

 

[997440]

As I’ve understood it it’s not a bug, it’s intended behavior.

Decent explanation (By Christopher Breen, Macworld | NOV 6, 2006 12:00 AM PST):

[…]
In regard to TextEdit, this is intentional. The idea is that TextEdit, by default, will wrap text based on how wide the onscreen document window is. You can see this in action. Type a couple of long sentences and then drag the bottom right corner of the TextEdit window to resize it, bigger and then smaller. Notice how the text rewraps based on the width of the document. If you print this document, that printout will match exactly what’s on the screen, right down to where the words wrap. Therefore, if you’ve put a mess of text on a single line, the font size will decrease in the printout so all the text fits on that single line.

This is a useful feature if you’re entering lines of code and prefer to see those lines unbroken. But it’s not so hot if you’re expecting TextEdit to behave like a word processor rather than a text editor. Fortunately you can change TextEdit’s behavior simply by choosing Format -> Wrap to Page. When you do, the text will wrap to the size of the page specified in Page Setup and fonts will print at the chosen size? […]

https://www.macworld.com/article/1053762/uncharmprints.html

Same thought but fleshed out a bit more:
https://www.macworld.com/article/1055373/teprinting.html

 

[Zazoh]

As I’ve understood it it’s not a bug, it’s intended behavior.

Decent explanation (By Christopher Breen, Macworld | NOV 6, 2006 12:00 AM PST):

https://www.macworld.com/article/1053762/uncharmprints.html

Same thought but fleshed out a bit more:
https://www.macworld.com/article/1055373/teprinting.html

Good stuff! Thanks for clearing it up.