| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > |
Cannot insert character codes Thread poster: XXXphxxx (X)
|
|---|
XXXphxxx (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
I have just bought a new laptop. My old one had no numeric keypad, but in addition to the usual numbers running horizontally across the top of the keyboard I could also access a number keypad via some of the letters on the right side of the keyboard by pressing the 'Fn' key at the same time as Alt. This keyboard has no option for this so I'm wondering how on earth I now input all the character codes that I need on a daily basis? I've Googled this extensively and the only answer I'm getting thus ... See more I have just bought a new laptop. My old one had no numeric keypad, but in addition to the usual numbers running horizontally across the top of the keyboard I could also access a number keypad via some of the letters on the right side of the keyboard by pressing the 'Fn' key at the same time as Alt. This keyboard has no option for this so I'm wondering how on earth I now input all the character codes that I need on a daily basis? I've Googled this extensively and the only answer I'm getting thus far is that I absolutely must have a numeric keypad to do so - surely there must be another way round this? ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Tony M
France
Local time: 21:01
Member
French to English
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Embedded numeric pad | Jan 25, 2012 |
If it's anything like mine, it's a real pain, but you CAN do it!
Look carefully at the groups of keys in the centre, they may have a third symbol, often rather grey and hard to see, which mimics the usual (separate) numeric pad.
In my case, I have to ensure that I have first pressed one of the function keys, which basically puts it into 'Num Lock', and I then have to use the Fn key (bottom left, next to Ctrl / Alt) in order to use these. It's a right pain when you have ... See more If it's anything like mine, it's a real pain, but you CAN do it!
Look carefully at the groups of keys in the centre, they may have a third symbol, often rather grey and hard to see, which mimics the usual (separate) numeric pad.
In my case, I have to ensure that I have first pressed one of the function keys, which basically puts it into 'Num Lock', and I then have to use the Fn key (bottom left, next to Ctrl / Alt) in order to use these. It's a right pain when you have to do Alt + [Num], as you have to include the Fn in there somehow, and I kept getting it wrong!
On my latest laptop, even this facility is missing; in any case, I bought an external USB number keypad, only to find, however, that it won't work with the Alt key for special characters; so beware! ▲ Collapse
| | | |
XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | No embedded numeric keypad | Jan 25, 2012 |
Thanks for the suggestion Tony. That's what I used to have - an embedded numeric keypad and it was a simple case of pressing the Fn key to access it. I have a Fn key now and this accesses various options such as brightness and volume which are now embedded under the function keys across the top of the keyboard but there's no embedded numeric keypad. Of course I can use various other shortcuts in Word and can Insert > Symbol in Excel but how do I insert foreign symbols on websites or even on this... See more Thanks for the suggestion Tony. That's what I used to have - an embedded numeric keypad and it was a simple case of pressing the Fn key to access it. I have a Fn key now and this accesses various options such as brightness and volume which are now embedded under the function keys across the top of the keyboard but there's no embedded numeric keypad. Of course I can use various other shortcuts in Word and can Insert > Symbol in Excel but how do I insert foreign symbols on websites or even on this very forum? Surely I'm missing a [very basic] trick here? ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Tony M
France
Local time: 21:01
Member
French to English
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
OK, I see the problem now, and it's the same with my new laptop — for which, as I said, I bought an external number pad, only to find that even that didn't work with Alt +
I wonder if you can make the Unicode shortcut codes work for you?
In Word, if you look under 'Insert' > 'Special character', you should get up the table with all the characters available in a given charset; at the bottom right, you sh... See more OK, I see the problem now, and it's the same with my new laptop — for which, as I said, I bought an external number pad, only to find that even that didn't work with Alt +
I wonder if you can make the Unicode shortcut codes work for you?
In Word, if you look under 'Insert' > 'Special character', you should get up the table with all the characters available in a given charset; at the bottom right, you should select 'Unicode', and then it shows you at the bottom of the screen the code for each character; this time, AFAIK, you just type in the 4 character code followed by Alt + X; it is supposed to work in theory (maybe check Help?), and I have got it to work on one occasion, but since then, can't seem to make it work at all
There must be a trick to making it work, but at least this method should work without using the numeric pad!
There are also utilities available that let you define diacritics using keyboard shortcuts, but I've never got on with them very well...
Yes, have just checked Help, and it is supposed to work, only it doesn't on my setup! I'm using Word 2003 under XP, so I don't know what is wrong with my system to stop it working, but check out the Help file (I typed in 'Unicode') and see if you can make it work!
I know it did work on my old laptop...
[Modifié le 2012-01-25 16:10 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 21:01
Italian to English
In memoriam | Change the keyboard language | Jan 25, 2012 |
Lisa Simpson, MCIL wrote:
Of course I can use various other shortcuts in Word and can Insert > Symbol in Excel but how do I insert foreign symbols on websites or even on this very forum? Surely I'm missing a [very basic] trick here?
You can write ελληνικά in Greek, for example, by switching the keyboard language if you set this up from the Windows control panel. You can activate as many keyboards as you like and simply toggle through them with ALT+CAP.
Of course, it helps if you can touch-type in all your languages!
| | | |
XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thought of that one... then dismissed it. | Jan 25, 2012 |
Giles Watson wrote:
You can write ελληνικά in Greek, for example, by switching the keyboard language if you set this up from the Windows control panel. You can activate as many keyboards as you like and simply toggle through them with ALT+CAP.
Of course, it helps if you can touch-type in all your languages!
Thanks Giles, but as you say, the problem with that solution is that I'd need to be familiar with the keyboard layout in several languages. Unfortunately, I haven't got a clue how to create an 'e acute' (see can't even type it anymore) on a French keyboard.
@ Tony. Am still trying to work through your Unicode suggestion which unfortunately doesn't seem to be working thus far. Attempts to type an 'e acute' are giving me the Euro symbol!
| | | |
Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 21:01
Italian to English
In memoriam |
XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Where's the 'Language Bar'? | Jan 25, 2012 |
Thanks for your suggestions Giles. Am tearing my hair out here and wondering if after a whole day of transferring data, installing software etc I am just going to have to take this machine back. I don't why I assumed there would be a numeric keypad - didn't cross my mind.
The shortcuts are fine when I'm in Word and I use those/or similar already. The problem is what to do when I'm in a Powerpoint document, or adding a foreign word to my Multiterm or searching for a foreign word in ... See more Thanks for your suggestions Giles. Am tearing my hair out here and wondering if after a whole day of transferring data, installing software etc I am just going to have to take this machine back. I don't why I assumed there would be a numeric keypad - didn't cross my mind.
The shortcuts are fine when I'm in Word and I use those/or similar already. The problem is what to do when I'm in a Powerpoint document, or adding a foreign word to my Multiterm or searching for a foreign word in my browser. I'm prepared to familiarise myself with a French keyboard and have enabled that and various others in the Control Panel but this would normally give me an EN symbol in my taskbar. I used to switch toggle between a Russian and English keyboard in my taskbar but I can't for the life of me remember how I got it there. Does anyone know if these keyboards will allow me to type foreign symbols in any programme? ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Tony M
France
Local time: 21:01
Member
French to English
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
This looks as if it might be what you need:
http://spanish.about.com/od/writtenspanish/a/typingaccents.htm
And if you just Google something like "typing accented characters", there are all sorts of tips and ideas out there.
PS: re: Language bar
On my pC (XP), it's at the bottom right end of the 'task bar', just to the left ... See more This looks as if it might be what you need:
http://spanish.about.com/od/writtenspanish/a/typingaccents.htm
And if you just Google something like "typing accented characters", there are all sorts of tips and ideas out there.
PS: re: Language bar
On my pC (XP), it's at the bottom right end of the 'task bar', just to the left of the bit where there is the clock and all those odd little icons... Mine has a little blue square that says 'FR', and if you right click on it, you get the options.
[Modifié le 2012-01-25 17:23 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | |
B D Finch
France
Local time: 21:01
French to English
+ ...
Giles Watson wrote:
You can write ελληνικά in Greek, for example, by switching the keyboard language if you set this up from the Windows control panel. You can activate as many keyboards as you like and simply toggle through them with ALT+CAP.
Of course, it helps if you can touch-type in all your languages!
That's more or less the system I use. I have set up the keyboard to change to English with ALT+0 and to French with ALT+9. For someone who doesn't touch-type in all the languages they need, I suggest combining that system with some paper printouts of the various language keyboards concerned (that's what I initially did for French) and you'll probably find that you learn the symbols and accents you use regularly quite fast. In the meantime, right ALT+e on an English keyboard gives é. I have found that the right ALT does things the left one doesn't, which might help with Tony's suggestion.
[Edited at 2012-01-25 17:28 GMT]
| | | |
XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Am I getting there? | Jan 25, 2012 |
B D Finch wrote:
That's more or less the system I use. I have set up the keyboard to change to English with ALT+0 and to French with ALT+9. For someone who doesn't touch-type in all the languages they need, I suggest combining that system with some paper printouts of the various language keyboards concerned (that's what I initially did for French) and you'll probably find that you learn the symbols and accents you use regularly quite fast. In the meantime, right ALT+e on an English keyboard gives é. I have found that the right ALT does things the left one doesn't, which might help with Tony's suggestion.
[Edited at 2012-01-25 17:28 GMT]
Thanks B D. Okay, putting the foreign language keyboards to one side for a moment (I've enabled them but can't work out how to access them), your right ALT+e (which I didn't know before, I'd always used the somewhat long-winded ALT+0233) and a few others might be all I need. Are there equally simple solutions for an 'e grave' or for the tréma?
| | | |
XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | The invisible Language Bar | Jan 25, 2012 |
Tony M wrote:
On my pC (XP), it's at the bottom right end of the 'task bar', just to the left of the bit where there is the clock and all those odd little icons... Mine has a little blue square that says 'FR', and if you right click on it, you get the options.
[Modifié le 2012-01-25 17:23 GMT]
Thanks Tony for your suggestions. Yes, that's where my EN/RU one used to be and I used to toggle between them (can't now remember how) but it hasn't appeared on my taskbar now. I've added the keyboards in the Control Panel's Language settings and am clearly missing a trick. Microsoft's help pages aren't helping (of course).
| | |
|
|
|
| External keyboard | Jan 25, 2012 |
I use an external keyboard with a USB connection for my laptop which works well for me - unless of course you actually use your laptop on your lap! You should be able to pick one up in the language you want for just a few euros.
| | | |
Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 21:01
Italian to English
In memoriam | Change your keyboard language | Jan 25, 2012 |
Lisa Simpson, MCIL wrote:
The shortcuts are fine when I'm in Word and I use those/or similar already. The problem is what to do when I'm in a Powerpoint document, or adding a foreign word to my Multiterm or searching for a foreign word in my browser.
You'll probably find it easier to reset your keyboard, either to extended UK or to one of your languages.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/258824
I'm prepared to familiarise myself with a French keyboard and have enabled that and various others in the Control Panel but this would normally give me an EN symbol in my taskbar. I used to switch toggle between a Russian and English keyboard in my taskbar but I can't for the life of me remember how I got it there. Does anyone know if these keyboards will allow me to type foreign symbols in any programme?
Yes, they do. The only problems with non-Latin characters I've ever had were in Yahoo groups.
If you can't see the language icon, right-click on the task bar and go to toolbar selection:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/keyboard-language-toolbar/499a924c-22cc-46eb-b59b-b41ab707d49e
When you see the little icon that says "EN" or "FR" or whatever - mouseover to see the full language version - to the right of the program icons in the Windows 7 task bar, you can toggle through your languages with ALT+CAP. Try them out, preferably with a printed version of the keyboard layout to hand, as BDF suggests 
[Edited at 2012-01-25 18:19 GMT]
| | | |
Tony M
France
Local time: 21:01
Member
French to English
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Language bar | Jan 25, 2012 |
Yes, I agree with Alain, I most often use an external k/b, but it's a pain when you want to go mobile!
Try Control Panel > regional / Language options, then under Languages > Text services and input language > Details, and there is a button Language bar where you can set it to be displayed or not on the desktop.
Sorry, some of those terms might not be quite right, I'm all in FR here
| | | |
| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > |
Login to reply/comment 
