If you write the formula for the nitrate ion in Arial you get this:
The minus sign is too small and the subscript and superscript look wrong. There is a better minus sign than the one on the keyboard, called the n-dash since it takes up the same space as a letter n. Use the table here to find its Unicode value. The subscripts look better if they are lowered by 2 points and the superscripts look better if they are raised by 2 points. This makes the nitrate ion look like this:
The macro below replaces all the minus signs in the document and alters the subscripts and superscripts accordingly:
Sub ReplaceMinus()
'replace minus
Selection.Find.ClearFormatting
Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting
With Selection.Find
.Text = "-"
.Replacement.Text = "–"
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindContinue
.Format = False
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchWildcards = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
End With
Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
'superscript and subscript
'lower and raise subscripts and superscripts
Selection.WholeStory
Selection.Find.ClearFormatting
With Selection.Find.Font
.Superscript = False
.Subscript = True
End With
Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting
With Selection.Find.Replacement.Font
.Superscript = False
.Subscript = True
.Position = -2
End With
With Selection.Find
.Text = "([A-Za-z0-9+-])"
.Replacement.Text = "\1"
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindContinue
.Format = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.MatchWildcards = True
End With
Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
Selection.Find.ClearFormatting
With Selection.Find.Font
.Superscript = True
.Subscript = False
End With
Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting
With Selection.Find.Replacement.Font
.Superscript = True
.Subscript = False
.Position = 2
End With
With Selection.Find
.Text = "([A-Za-z0-9+–])"
.Replacement.Text = "\1"
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindContinue
.Format = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.MatchWildcards = True
End With
Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
Selection.WholeStory
Selection.Find.ClearFormatting
With Selection.Find.Font
.Superscript = True
.Subscript = False
End With
Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting
With Selection.Find.Replacement.Font
.Superscript = True
.Subscript = False
.Position = 2
End With
With Selection.Find
.Text = "(–)"
.Replacement.Text = "\1"
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindContinue
.Format = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.MatchWildcards = True
End With
Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End Sub
Chemistry Word VBA macros 