Assigning a block of keys for special functions

[Guest]

Is there a way to assign a group of special characters to the number pad and
then turn on and off these special functions, as a group, with a "thing" on
the bar at the bottom of the screen? I need to put French language
characters on my computer for occasional messages in French, but I do not
want a French language keyboard which I cannot type on. The number pad is
the ideal solution because, with the shift key, I can get some 20 characters
on it.

Thank you whomever.

 

[David Candy]

Entering International Characters
There is a number of ways of entering international characters and symbols.

a.. Use Character Map.
b.. Use Alt + <the character code entered on the numeric keypad>
c.. Use the US International Keyboard
a.. The Alt Gr Key
a.. Dead Keys
d.. Tips
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Entering International Characters - Character Map
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Character Map and transfer via the clipboard.

Run Character Map

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Alt + Character Code
Holding down alt and pressing the character code on the numeric keypad will enter that character. The keyboard language in use must support entering that character. If your keyboard supports it the code is shown on the right hand side of the status bar in Character Map else this section of the status bar is empty.

However there is two ways of entering codes. The point to remember here that the characters are the same for the first 127 codes. The difference is if the first number typed is a zero of not. If it is then the code will insert the character from the current character set else it will insert a character from the OEM character set.

E.G., Alt + 0 then 6 then 5 then release Alt enters the letter A

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Entering International Characters - US International Keyboards
Install the US International keyboard. Start - Control Panel - Regional And Language Options - Languages - Details - Add. While here review the Key Settings to switch keyboards or turn on the Language Bar (Advanced Text Services must not be disabled).

This works in two modes. Right Alt or Shift + Right Alt + another key and also by pressing dead keys (such as accents). On non US Keyboards the Right Alt key is called Alt Gr.

Right Alt is the same key as Ctrl + Left Alt on the US International keyboards, and on almost all keyboards except the standard US keyboards where left and right keys are treated the same . This is a reason why Ctrl + Alt should not be used to set hotkeys. Also F12 should also not be used for hotkeys as it's reserved for attaching a debugger.

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The Right Alt Keys
Key Description
Right Alt + 1 i
Right Alt + 2 ²
Right Alt + 3 ³
Right Alt + 4 ¤
Right Alt + 5 €
Right Alt + 6 1/4
Right Alt + 7 1/2
Right Alt + 8 3/4
Right Alt + 9 '
Right Alt + 0 '
Right Alt + - ¥
Right Alt + = ×
Right Alt + Q ä
Right Alt + W å
Right Alt + E é
Right Alt + R (r)
Right Alt + T þ
Right Alt + Y ü
Right Alt + U ú
Right Alt + I í
Right Alt + O ó
Right Alt + P ö
Right Alt + [ <<
Right Alt + ] >>
Right Alt + \ Not Sign
Right Alt + A á
Right Alt + S ß
Right Alt + D ð
Right Alt + L ø
Right Alt + ; Pilcrow Sign
Right Alt + ' ´
Right Alt + Z æ
Right Alt + C (c)
Right Alt + N ñ
Right Alt + M µ
Right Alt + , ç
Right Alt + / ¿
Shift + Right Alt + 1 ¹
Shift + Right Alt + 4 £
Shift + Right Alt + = ÷
Shift + Right Alt + Q Ä
Shift + Right Alt + W Å
Shift + Right Alt + E É
Shift + Right Alt + T Þ
Shift + Right Alt + Y Ü
Shift + Right Alt + U Ú
Shift + Right Alt + I Í
Shift + Right Alt + O Ó
Shift + Right Alt + P Ö
Shift + Right Alt + \ ¦
Shift + Right Alt + A Á
Shift + Right Alt + S §
Shift + Right Alt + D Ð
Shift + Right Alt + L Ø
Shift + Right Alt + ; °
Shift + Right Alt + ' ¨
Shift + Right Alt + Z Æ
Shift + Right Alt + C ¢
Shift + Right Alt + N Ñ
Shift + Right Alt + , Ç

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The Dead Keys
The dead keys are the apostrophe ('), quotation mark ("), accent grave (`), tilde (~), and caret (^). If these are pressed the system waits for the next key. If it is in the list below then it enters the symbol character else it enters both keys seperately. These work with uppercase where appropiate.

Key Description
' then C Ç
' then e é
' then y ý
' then u ú
' then i í
' then o ó
' then a á
" then e ë
" then u ü
" then i ï
" then o ö
" then a ä
` then e è
` then u ù
` then i ì
` then o ò
~ then o õ
~ then n ñ
^ then e ê
^ then u û
^ then i î
^ then o ô
^ then a â

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Tips
Like Accessibility there is a trick here with general applicability. Normally Caps Lock is on or off and stays on or off untill the key is pressed again. This can be changed to act like a typewriter at Start - Control Panel - Regional And Language Options - Languages - Details - Key Settings and one can select whether another Caps Lock press will turn off Caps Lock or if pressing the Shift key will turn it off like on a typewriter.

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[Galen]

In JC <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Is there a way to assign a group of special characters to the number
pad and then turn on and off these special functions, as a group,
with a "thing" on the bar at the bottom of the screen? I need to put
French language characters on my computer for occasional messages in
French, but I do not want a French language keyboard which I cannot
type on. The number pad is the ideal solution because, with the
shift key, I can get some 20 characters on it.

Thank you whomever.

In addition to David's advice:

How To Use the United States-International Keyboard Layout in Windows ... :
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306560

That's what I use to type the ¡²³¤?¼½¾öóíúüþ®éåäáßð type stuff...

Then you can just hit the ' key and hit the letter "a" for instance and get
á or é or í etc... I don't know what French languages need but that seems
to cover most of them.

Galen
--

"You know that a conjurer gets no credit when once he has explained his
trick; and if I show you too much of my method of working, you will
come to the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual after all."

Sherlock Holmes

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Is there a way to assign a group of special characters to the
number
pad and then turn on and off these special functions, as a
group,
with a "thing" on the bar at the bottom of the screen? I need
to put
French language characters on my computer for occasional
messages in
French, but I do not want a French language keyboard which I
cannot
type on. The number pad is the ideal solution because, with
the
shift key, I can get some 20 characters on it.

I know of nothing that works specifically that way, but I use a
little freeware background program called AllChars. This lets me
type many common special characters (many of these are used in
other languages) by pressing the ctrl key followed by a two
character mnemonic combination.
For example, for ñ the two characters are ~ and n. For ç it's c
and , For ü it's u and "

Go to http://allchars.zwolnet.com/