N Gauge Forum

Notices, Help With Problems and Your Forum Ideas... => Computer Help => Topic started by: colpatben on November 21, 2014, 05:04:05 AM

Title: Special Alt Characters
Post by: colpatben on November 21, 2014, 05:04:05 AM
Whilst posting on another topic last evening I used a symbol that is generated by using the Atl Key and the numeric keypad that is to the right of the keyboard (Not  the numbers above the Alpha characters).

ie for 21DegC I want 21°C. So I type 21 then press and hold the Alt key whilst entering the number 248 then release the Alt key and ° appears.

For this to work the Num Lock must be on (press the Num Lock key and if your keyboard has a Num Lock light this will be illuminated, or you may get a symbol in the toolbar to say Num Lock is on).

For those using UK keyboards who need accented characters this is invaluable.

Alt Plus 133 à
Alt Plus 134 å

Alt plus 13 is ♪
Alt plus 12 is ♀

this link is simple to understand

http://www.tedmontgomery.com/tutorial/ALTchrc.html (http://www.tedmontgomery.com/tutorial/ALTchrc.html)

Or Google Alt Codes for many other links.

Please note that not all Alt symbols will be replicated by the forum text editor but in MS word and other word processor programs they should be.

I hope that this is not removed by a moderator, so please do not fill posts with unnecessary symbols.

Have fun Alt Plus 1 ☺
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: Sprintex on November 21, 2014, 05:57:12 AM
Quote from: colpatben on November 21, 2014, 05:04:05 AM
I hope that this is not removed by a moderator,

Not sure why you think it would be, quite a helpful piece of information :thumbsup:


Paul
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: colpatben on November 21, 2014, 06:05:38 AM
Paul

Shall I take the statement out?, I am always concerned that some topics are more trouble that they are worth.

Colin
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: Sprintex on November 21, 2014, 06:12:10 AM
Nah, if people start posting endless lists of characters we'll just delete them :D


Paul
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: Bealman on November 21, 2014, 06:17:24 AM
What statement? I'm just looking at this too, and have to agree with Paul... it's a useful post! I for one didn't know a lot of that stuff.  :thumbsup:

And as Paul says, we'll just get the blue pencil out.  :D
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: colpatben on November 21, 2014, 06:31:44 AM
Thanks for the comments.

I am sure it will be useful for some ex pats using UK keyboards in foreign lands.
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: Caz on November 21, 2014, 09:01:19 AM
Another way of accessing special characters when using Windows is to go to "Programs", "Accessories" and then select "Character map".   Click on the symbol you want, click copy (or Control C) and paste into where you want it. 
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: Bealman on November 21, 2014, 09:26:01 AM
 :offtopicsign:

Oh, Good Morning Caz.. I guess there's no point in me motoring out to Dapto then?

BACK TO TOPIC....  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: Dorsetmike on November 21, 2014, 10:35:30 AM
Some easier ones to remember that don't use the numbers. holding Alt Gr and keying the vowels gives accents as  á é í ó ú,  with shift as well (obviously)  gives Á É Í Ó Ú ;  Alt Gr and $ gives a euro symbol €.
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: EtchedPixels on November 21, 2014, 01:29:49 PM
All depends upon the OS.

Linux for example suppose compose keys so you type the compose combination (shift-alt) release then the two letters to get the result (eg a and ' gives á, ss gives ß etc)

On windows If you know the code you can type any unicode character with alt  the numeric pad + then the hex code of the symbol (although windows only supports a subset of unicode).  On linux its ctrl-shift-U then the code. This allows you to type in things like gears ⚙   8)


Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: njee20 on November 21, 2014, 02:25:50 PM
There are hundreds of these, for some reason the only one I can ever remember is entirely useless, which is Alt+0223, which gives the German symbol for a 'double s', even they don't use it as much anymore!

Sehr groß!
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: Newportnobby on November 21, 2014, 03:40:05 PM
An alternative could be to type your post in 'Word', use the 'Insert' > 'Symbol' feature then just cut and paste into the forum. The world is your lobster :)
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: woodbury22uk on November 21, 2014, 05:16:36 PM
I use these regularly when posting on French forum pages. But on one forum the combination for à (ALT+0224) exits the post! I'll try to use Mike's suggestion of ALT GR plus some key or other to get there in future.
Title: Re: Special Alt Characters
Post by: Malc on November 21, 2014, 05:19:06 PM
I've found the feature useful when working abroad with foreign PCs with bokmal keyboards and no £ sign