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I'm currently using Google Docs, but when I try to use the keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+Alt+M it gives µ instead.

alt text

Is Chrome (9) overruling Google Docs in some way?

How can I get these shortcuts working?

I'm using Chrome dev 9 on a Dutch Windows 7 with a US-layout keyboard

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Here is Google's Official Shortcut Page for Google Doc. There you find that the current shortcut to insert comments is Ctrl + Alt + M and the old shortcut was Ctrl + M. I would have to assume that the old shortcut isn't supported. Which leads to this...

Check this out: (Source - Google Support)

"Originally, US PC keyboards (specifically, the US 101-key PC/AT keyboards) did not have an AltGr key, it being relevant to only non-US markets; they simply had "left" and "right" Alt keys.

As those using such US keyboards increasingly needed the specific functionality of AltGr when typing non-English text, Windows began to allow it to be emulated by pressing the Alt key together with the Control key: Ctrl + Alt ≈ AltGr -- (wiki source).

Therefore, it is recommended that this combination not be used as a modifier in Windows keyboard shortcuts as, depending on the keyboard layout and configuration, someone trying to type a special character with it may accidentally trigger the shortcut, or the keypresses for the shortcut may be inadvertently interpreted as the user trying to input a special character."

US International Layout: Ctrl + Alt ≈ AltGr ... which means... AltGr + M = µ

Note: To resolve this issue switch to a pure US layout, not a US International keyboard layout. See steps below on how to switch.

Windows 7: Switch Keyboard Layout to Pure US Keyboard Layout:

  • Open Start Menu
  • Type in: Region and Language
  • Hit [Enter]
  • [Click] the Change keyboards button
  • Select the General tab if not selected
  • [Click] the Add button
  • Scroll to and expand English (United States)
  • Expand Keyboard if not already expanded
  • [Check] the check box for US
  • [Click] the OK button
  • Select 'English (United States) - US' from the Default input language drop down menu
  • [Click] OK
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Ok, this explains why it doesn't work, but Ctrl + M (as listed in the link) doesn't work. So how can I make it work? – Ivo Flipse♦ Dec 1 '10 at 9:58
Updated the answer. Ctrl-M is an old shortcut. Also Google's doesn't have a more universal shortcut option either. – SgtOJ Dec 1 '10 at 10:18
I see that you are from the Netherlands. So are you using a non-standard US keyboard layout? If not, which keyboard layout are you using? Are you using Windows 7 or XP or another OS? – SgtOJ Dec 1 '10 at 10:19
It's an Azerty USB keyboard, but I have switched it to the US layout and deleted all the other layouts. – Ivo Flipse♦ Dec 1 '10 at 10:22
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So, I want to double check that you have done the steps I just added. BTW, I didnt break it down because I don't think you knew. Instead I did it for future use of the question by someone who might not know. – SgtOJ Dec 1 '10 at 11:11
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