How do I get a special character without a number pad?

Question

I'd like to be able to use a keyboard shortcut to type special characters (characters that can't be found on my keyboard) such as the £ (pound) symbol, which I can get on a keyboard with a number pad by typing Alt+0163. Unfortunately, on my netbook, I don't have a number pad.

How then do I get special characters, using the keyboard, without using charmap?

Answer 1

Often times, your netbook might have a function key which will change 7,8,9,U,I,O,J,K,L, and M into a number pad. You can use these to do Alt+ combinations. Alternatively, open the Character Map (Under Accessories in the start menu) to select individual characters.

Answer 2

You can use some macro program like AutoHotkey to bind it to specified hotkeys.

Answer 3

You could change your keyboard layout to United States–International (see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306560). It takes a little getting used to, but not so much as I had thought. Then you would make the £ symbol by depressing 4 (not on the number pad) + Shift + Right Alt. Also, if you type diacritical marks often, this layout is especially useful.

Answer 4

If you have a Windows operating system [such as Vista or 7 -- I'm not sure about XP] then you can use the Character Map. I actually discovered it by accident. Before then I thought my future laptop [that I plan to purchase] would require a numeric keypad, but now I guess I won't be needing it, thanks to the Character Map [I have Windows Vista, but plan to upgrade to Windows 7].

Answer 5

It depends on your hardware, your operating system and the application you are using.

Some notebook PCs have a way of simulating a numeric keypad by using additional meta keys (Fn, Ctrl, Alt etc)

Some operating systems support alternative keyboard layouts or input method editors. For example I have a Windows PC with a UK keyboard (and hence no problem with £) in the system notification area I have a keyboard icon from which I can choose UK or UK-extended keyboards. The extended one lets me compose additional accented characters. Maybe there is an extended keyboard for your locale that supports a key combination for £.

Finally applications such as MS Word have their own means of inputting special characters - see the application help.

Answer 6

hold the Alt key down and type the ascii key code

Answer 7

1. The keypad on a laptop is located on keys M-J-K-L-U-I-O-7-8-9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2. You must engage the keypad. Find and hold the "fn" key and press the "num lock" key. On my laptop it is located on the "scroll lock" key. A little led bulb should light to show that the keypad function is engaged.
3. Now you can type in the alt symbols ALT + Fn + MJ89 = ½ symbol