A "span" is a traditional unit of length used for measuring cloth or fabric. It was historically used in various countries, including England, and is based on the width of the human hand or the spread of the fingers. The actual length of a span could vary depending on the region and historical context.
In England, a span was typically equal to 9 inches or approximately 22.86 centimeters. However, it's important to note that the definition of a span could vary from place to place and over time.
A "twip" is a unit of measurement used in desktop publishing and computer graphics, especially in the context of Microsoft Windows. The term "twip" is an abbreviation for "twentieth of a point," and it is used to define very small distances and sizes.
In the twip system:
1 twip is equal to 1/20th of a point. 1 point (abbreviated as "pt") is equal to approximately 20 twips.
Because a point is roughly 1/72nd of an inch, 1 twip is approximately 1/1440th of an inch (or about 1/567 millimeters).
Twips are used in various applications, including word processing, graphics design, and layout software. They are particularly valuable for precise positioning and sizing of elements on a computer screen or when preparing documents for printing. The twip system is commonly used in Microsoft Windows-based applications and the Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI).
For example, in Microsoft Word, you can set paragraph spacing or element positioning in twips to achieve fine control over the layout of your documents.