How to type in special characters using [alt] in Linux

tisource · 09-08-2006, 05:49 PM

In Windows, you can hold the [alt] key and type a number on the number pad to enter a character. For example, if I wanted the bullet, I could hold [alt] and type "0149" and a bullet would appear.

This doesn't work in Linux. Is there another way to enter the same codes?

Brian1 · 09-08-2006, 06:04 PM

This I have seen many times asked here. There have been some answers. One I remember is this one. Making a new keyboard mapping and switching back and forth as needed under KDE though. http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...cial+character
If you haven't yet try the search here and use the search string ' alt special character '. Some mention making use of the AltGr key. Don't have that one the note book so can't test here. If I get back to the Desktop I might give it a try on my plain 101 keyboard.

Brian1

tisource · 09-10-2006, 04:50 PM

The example you give is language specific. I'm not talking about language specific characters (keyboard localization has nothing to do with it).

I'm talking about accessing characters using ascii codes, like bullets, copyright, registered, one-half, etc.

Can this be done with the examples you mention, and if so, how? Thanks.

Brian1 · 09-10-2006, 06:05 PM

From what I understand with that link you need to change the smybols that the key produces. So modify a different keyboard layout so you can switch between to two when needed. I rarely use some of these special charcaters so I open a webpage I saved that has these characters and cut and paste. Very slow over all but works for me with the minimum use.

Brian1

karelvdm · 10-02-2006, 03:55 AM

I got mine to work!

I use Suse and Kde;

From the Controlcenter choose "Regional and Accessibility"
then "keyboard Layout"
Add the "U.S English w/deadkeys (us_intl)"
and remove the deafault layout.

It solved my problem

Now I type "^" and "e" and it combines to ê.
I've got a qwerty k/b though.

Hope I helped someone

mfeat · 10-02-2006, 01:24 PM

in vi, press ctrl-v then enter the numbers and the desired character will appear

the following will list some of the ascii characters (from 169 to 192), use the code to output to a file and then view it with vi to see the characters.

Code:

seq 169 192 | while read i; do echo $i | awk '{printf("%3d %c\n", $1, $1)}'; done

output is:

169 ©
170 ª
171 «
172 ¬
173 *
174 ®
175 ¯
176 °
177 ±
178 ²
179 ³
180 ´
181 µ
182 ¶
183 ·
184 ¸
185 ¹
186 º
187 »
188 ¼
189 ½
190 ¾
191 ¿
192 À

DavidMcCann · 11-10-2006, 10:50 AM

You can (usually) do this in Linux! Hold down Ctrl-Shift and type U followed by the decimal code. So, for a bullet press Ctrl-Shift-U2202.

I said "usually" because I've just got Fedora 6 and this facility has disappeared from OpenOffice, though it still works in all other applications. If anyone has the answer to that one, I'd like to hear it.

matthewg42 · 11-10-2006, 11:01 AM

I think this is what SCIM is for, no? I have no idea how to use it mind you.

tisource · 11-10-2006, 11:37 AM

The Control+Shift and U2202 (as explained above) doesn't work for me in openSUSE 10.1 (in any app).

daihard · 11-10-2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthewg42

I think this is what SCIM is for, no? I have no idea how to use it mind you.

SCIM is an IME (input method editor) that lets you type in characters in different languages. I don't think SCIM provides an easy way to type in special characters like <Alt> + number on Windows, though.