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Forums › Microsoft Windows › ALT-Key characters


588 posts

Ultimate Geek
Topic # 97600 17-Feb-2012 14:33 Send private message

I have a friend (no snide comments, thanks <s>), who has a problem when using Alt-key codes to insert special characters.

The characters in question are musical notes, and when he writes an email (Outlook Express) he can press Alt+13 and Alt+14 to produce the desired characters.

However, when he trys this using Word (Word97 ... he's an older chap and unlikely to upgrade), nothing happens, viz. no characters.

Anybody shed some light on why this is happening (or not happening, actually).  System is XP Home.

Cheers,

R.

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1255 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber
  Reply # 582823 17-Feb-2012 14:35 Send private message

He is using a numpad to enter these and not the numbers at the top of the keyboard.

Most programs only support ALT + numpad keys, not ALT + numbers.

RSK

16 posts

Geek
  Reply # 582825 17-Feb-2012 14:37 Send private message

I would say because he is using an older version of word. however he could try using character map which can be found in start >Programs> Accessories >Systems tools - that may help



588 posts

Ultimate Geek
  Reply # 582827 17-Feb-2012 14:42 Send private message

RSK ... thanks for comment. Yes, we have used the Character Map to Copy & Paste, but we were looking for a quick shortcut means of inserting the character.


R.

RSK

16 posts

Geek
  Reply # 582828 17-Feb-2012 14:44 Send private message

good point, i would certainly try what jbard mentioned
jbard: He is using a numpad to enter these and not the numbers at the top of the keyboard. Most programs only support ALT + numpad keys, not ALT + numbers.



588 posts

Ultimate Geek
  Reply # 582868 17-Feb-2012 15:50 Send private message

jbard, no, he tried using both pad and top numbers.
Remember, it works fine in Outlook, just not Word. Also, other Alt characters work fine in Word.

R.

2977 posts

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  Reply # 582896 17-Feb-2012 16:28 Send private message

Characters under 32 are non-printable, so I think it's just luck (or maybe even a bug) that Alt-13 and Alt-14 do something in Outlook Express.



588 posts

Ultimate Geek
  Reply # 582898 17-Feb-2012 16:34 Send private message

Behodar,

On the other hand, Outlook is more up to date (installed with XP plus SP3 and subsequent updates), whilst his copy of Word97 simple languished?

R.

6895 posts

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  Reply # 582903 17-Feb-2012 16:44 Send private message

Interesting, ALT - 13 works in Word 2003 and Notepad on Windows 7 for me.

2977 posts

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  Reply # 582908 17-Feb-2012 16:50 Send private message

Hmm, you're right, it works for me too (I sent my previous message from my phone so couldn't check). 13 is a newline character though so it must be a text representation of it.



588 posts

Ultimate Geek
  Reply # 582914 17-Feb-2012 16:58 Send private message

Guys,

Works in Notepad 5.1, but not WordPad 5.1 using XP Pro.

I think the answer lies in the fact that although the characters are part of the latest Unicode character & symbol set, not every program has the ability to call them up, either in part or total.

R.

1682 posts

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Trusted
  Reply # 582919 17-Feb-2012 17:15 Send private message

Could it be the font your using? Maybe the ♫ are not ♥ but the default font?

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