Why Right ALT & Left ALT keys make different selections?

[Guest]

When I switch the keyboard (on the language bar) to the Polish language, I
can use the ALT key to type Polish fonts, it works fine. However, only the
right ALT key works this way; when I use the left ALT key, instead of getting
Polish fonts, either nothing happens or it simply selects Format, Tools, etc.
In my old computer, no matter which ALT key I punched, I got the same
result. How can I get the left ALT key perform the same tasks as the right
ALT key?

I would appreciate any comments.

Thanks,


Jack

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hi Jack

When I switch the keyboard (on the language bar) to the Polish language, I
can use the ALT key to type Polish fonts, it works fine. However, only the
right ALT key works this way; when I use the left ALT key, instead of getting
Polish fonts, either nothing happens or it simply selects Format, Tools, etc.
In my old computer, no matter which ALT key I punched, I got the same
result. How can I get the left ALT key perform the same tasks as the right
ALT key?

I would appreciate any comments.

Not sure if this is an international issue: the two keys you are
referring to are, at least on my keyboard, really two different keys
(labeled "Alt" and "Alt Gr", respectively).

You can define your own shortcuts, of course (and assign "Alt"-... to
all the special letters that the "Alt Gr"-... combinations point to).
Windows-wide, Alt-<letter> opens a menu starting with the corresponding
letter -- you'll loose that functionality in Word for the given letters.

2cents
Robert

 

[Guest]

Hello Robert,

Thank you very much for your reply.

I agree that those two keys are two different keys (even though on my
keyboard there is no indication they are different). However, if I type in
the Polish language, it's extremely convinient to use both ALT keys,
depending which letters I am using (in fact, all my keyboards have allowed me
to do so for about 10 or so years). Thus, I'd love to define my own
shortcuts, even if I'm going to lose their other functionality--besides, I'm
not really using too many shortcuts.

I've been trying to figure out how to define my shortcuts--I went to Word's
"Options", yet I don't think it was too helpful. Is there any other way to
define my shortcuts?

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Guest]

Hello Robert--once again!

I’ve just spent some time in Word; I went to Insert/Symbol/Shortcut Key and
tried to assign the ALT + ‘letter’. I think I’ve figured out what’s going
on: when I assign a particular letter a new shortcut key (for example, “ALT +
aâ€), then when I press the right ALT and ‘a’, I get the right letter.
However, when I press the left ALT and ‘a’, I get something totally
different. Why? Well—when I press the left ALT, it automatically adds
“CTRLâ€; in other words, it seems that the left ALT key is a shortcut itself:
Left ALT means ALT + CTRL! So, now the only question is—how do I get rid of
that shortcut, to make both ALT keys just ALT keys?

I really appreciate your comments.

Jack

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hi Jack

I’ve just spent some time in Word; I went to Insert/Symbol/Shortcut Key and
tried to assign the ALT + ‘letter’. I think I’ve figured out what’s going
on: when I assign a particular letter a new shortcut key (for example, “ALT +
aâ€), then when I press the right ALT and ‘a’, I get the right letter.
However, when I press the left ALT and ‘a’, I get something totally
different. Why? Well—when I press the left ALT, it automatically adds
“CTRLâ€; in other words, it seems that the left ALT key is a shortcut itself:
Left ALT means ALT + CTRL! So, now the only question is—how do I get rid of
that shortcut, to make both ALT keys just ALT keys?

I'm afraid I can't be of much help to you -- right now I'm sitting in
front of a Word 2000 machine with a Swiss German keyboard. There the
behaviour is the reverse: right key is "Alt Gr" and shows Alt-CTRL (left
is "Alt" and only shows that in the dialog).

(FWIW,) I've never investigated this too deeply, but I'm not aware of
any methode to change that. (IOW, the two keys simply are not the same).

If you are a fluent typer in Polish, you could (temporarily) change your
keyboard setup to Polish (but you really need to know all special
characters of that setup by heart)?

Greetinx
Robert