Change default font size in WordPad?

Well, I was looking around for a way to change the font WordPad uses for text-only editing (as opposed to format-inclusive editing or whatever you want to call it when you have formatting too). See, I edit HTML documents with WordPad, but I would prefer something like Arial over this Courier stuff, and it's something that I can do in Notepad but haven't seen in WordPad yet. Unfortunately, if there's no way to set a default font, then setting a text-only display font other than Courier is probably impossible too. :(

the ruler at the top of my wordpad is really small, when i type a line, it only goes upto no.4 on the ruler, about an inch long. ive tried dragging the pointers across but they stop at 4 too, please help me.

One super way I handle my wordpad is this.

1. I make an easily selected file, a dummy file,
which I name something easy to type. I use e.doc.

So I open WPad and press AltF, O, e .

Now the key to your success is two things.

1. First the e.doc file has the text size that you
want to use already saved so when you open e.doc
the text area is at the size you want. You can
begin typing and when you're done smply , BE SURE,
to save AS the filename you desire.

2. A quick way to get around some bothersome thing
that happens is to

A. Name the e.doc document before you type or change
anything . This way you havne't changed e.doc and
you're creating the new document. Once the new
document has been saved from e.doc to the new doc
you can save the new doc each time you've added to
it so that it's constantly saved so you don't lose it.

Tips:

If you make outlines and use font sizes and colors
you can do the next step. In the e.doc file instead
of using it as a blank page set at the font type.
Try creating a bunch of font sizes and colors if
you intend to regularly use them in new documents.

The reasoning is this. IF you want to quickly start
typing at a font 18 and Red color you can quickly
cursor down to the letter which is font 18 in red
and start typing. Use cut and paste to move the
red and right sized font text where you want it.

This sounds like more work than you are asking about. And it is The reason I do this is because
I am doing reaserch and make outlines which have colors and differing font sizes to make the page
look like it is well written.

IF you keep all of your newly written text , made
from the differing font sizes or colors up and away
from the list* of example texts then you can just
go back , when you're done, and quickly remove all
of the colored and differently sized example texts.

Yes it's more work than you asked for. Instead
start with only making the e.doc file (or any easy
to type letter.doc) where the entire writing area
is at the font type and size you like.

*
Here's what my e.doc looks like.

(imagine that each letter going down is a differnt
color at a font of 18)
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T

Now imagine that each letter going down is like
the above but the next size smaller font.

T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T

Go on doing this so that you can scroll to the
correct color and size and , instead of setting
the font each time, simply quickly go to the
font and color you want. I think that the advantage
of this method is you quickly see how the color
and size works for you. You're not wasting time
'trying out' font sizes and colors and not being
quick to decide. IF you change mind later then
, of course, you can Alt O, to change the font size
or color.

Don't forget that Ctl-U, Ctl-B change the underline
and bold / normal setting of any highlighted text.

Last recommendation. Try with dilligence to learn
to use your computer and programs without touching
the mouse. Not all programs work well , like Internet
Explorer, without a mouse. But some, like Opera,
are very easy and fast to do nearly anything with
only a keyboard. Wordpad is fast using just a
keyboard. Reaching for the mouse is mind numbing
and takes your eyes off the screen and , I think,
slows a user when he's trying to get work done.

Good luck.

Now, how do we change that horrible font in the iPhone 3gs notepad? It is basically illegible as is. Thank u!

I forgot where I read it, but along with the e.doc idea. Create a "default" file, with at least one character in it. Set all your formatting preferences and save it with a generic name, for me, wordpad.rtf.

Setup the shortcut to open this file instead of the program.

The one change, is go to file and set the permissions to read only. Thus, it'll force you to save it as a different filename, and you'll never overwrite the original.

Brilliance. You can go one step further, and fix the icon, but that's for another day :-)
Cheers!