diff --git a/api/windows_opengl.C b/api/windows_opengl.C
index 360408420a..a27c12bdca 100755
--- a/api/windows_opengl.C
+++ b/api/windows_opengl.C
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ void SetupPixelFormat(HDC hDC)
    // good to go.
 }
 
-GLYPHMETRICSFLOAT gmf[256];
+float txt_widths[256];
 
 unsigned int MyCreateFont(char *fontName, int Size, int weight) {	
    // windows font
@@ -416,5 +416,15 @@ unsigned int MyCreateFont(char *fontName, int Size, int weight) {
 #if 0
    wglUseFontOutlines(hDC,0,255,mylistbase,0.0f,0.2f,WGL_FONT_POLYGONS,gmf);   
 #endif
+ 
+    TEXTMETRIC met;
+    GetTextMetrics(myhDC,&met);   
+    GetCharWidthFloat(myhDC,met.tmFirstChar,met.tmLastChar,txt_widths);
+
    return mylistbase;
 }
+
+float get_char_width(unsigned char c)
+{
+	return txt_widths[c];	
+}
diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index c285cb7605..c52e94cd06 100755
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -6763,8 +6763,10 @@ David  Oct 14 2003
 Oliver Oct 14 2003
     - stars now draw in visible pyramid with original coordinate system
     - axis draws vertices in correct CCW order
+    - added font width function
 
     api/
 	gutil.C,h
  	reduce.c
+	windows_opengl.C