Special html symbols

[Ell]

Tobytook asked in another thread if there is a universal code to make special symbols. eg. è, é, ô, ø, etc.

Thought others might be interested, so here's my reply:

Actually there is a universal code. The special characters are based on a characterset - ASCII code. The code you used is based on this, but is a new version that is not yet universally used/finished.

I keep a chart next to my computer to use as needed.

Here's a site where you can get the chart:

Big Nose Bird's chart

and a chart including the newer code (this site is in frames, so you'll have to click on "Tips 'n Tricks, then Special Characters" to find it)

http://vzone.virgin.net/sizzling.jalfrezi/iniframe.htm


Ell

 

[Tobytook]

Copied reply from Authors section

Hey, Ell

That's deeply cool; thanks for the site link - added to my Favourites menu for easy access. (No printer at home, worse luck.)

Not to push my luck, but what about how to do it in MS programs like Word?

P.S. I bet you did go to Hogwart's really.

Tobytook

 

[Darren]

Using symbols in MS Word

In Word, go to the insert menu and then select symbols. This brings up a box to select symbols from. I guess that there are shortcut keys but I don't know them.

 

[Darren]

Using them on this forum software

It seems that you can't use these special symbols in the title of threads and posts on the vBulletin software. You can use them in the main text of your posts.

Looks like I'm going to have to "modify" the code again to add this feature.

 

[Tobytook]

Re: using symbols in MS Word

Darren,

Not sure if my Symbols feature is less advanced than current incarnations, but it doesn't give any diacritic characters.

I wonder if there is an comprehensive, updated software package available?

(As for shortcuts, you just create your own, like Macros. But the symbols/functions must be there in the first place for you to create shortcuts to them.)

Tobytook

 

[TownBear]

Kewl Links Ell... thanks

 

[lies]

Re: Copied reply from Authors section

Originally posted by Tobytook
Not to push my luck, but what about how to do it in MS programs like Word?

Are keyboards really that different all over the world? Cause the é and è are standard over here, and you can throw a circonflexe on top of practically everything...

Anyway.

I don't know the exact name for this myself, and I've noticed that sometimes it's different on different computers, but anyway:

hold the ALT-key and type a number.
e.g. ALT 138 gives è
      ALT 130 gives é
      ALT 0248 gives ø
etc. (well, that's what it is on my computer)
There are charts as well for this, but as I said, it depends on which computer you're using as well, apparently...

Hope this helps?

 

[Tobytook]

Wow, in a word

Originally posted by lies
... hold the ALT-key and type a number.
e.g. ALT 125 gives }
      ALT 154 gives Ü
There are charts as well for this, but as I said, it depends on which computer you're using as well, apparently...

Hope this helps?

You are an absolute star.

I tried it out as you suggested, and - sure enough - it displayed the symbols. So I thought, Hang on, they can't just be hidden "cheats" - there must be a way to access them through the program.

And there is.

Go to Insert/Symbol... on the toolbar, then click the down arrow in the box labelled Font and select (normal text). All the basic diacritic characters will then be made available to you.

I might risk a smiley for that:

Tobytook

 

[lies]

Re: Wow, in a word

Originally posted by Tobytook
Go to Insert/Symbol... on the toolbar, then click the down arrow in the box labelled Font and select (normal text). All the basic diacritic characters will then be made available to you.

I might risk a smiley for that:

Oh yes, that's another option. It's just that if you use a particular sign a lot, it's easier to just memorize the number instead of having to insert the symbol every time... Or is that just me having a total I-don't-have-time-to-do-that-I-have-better-things-to-do attitude?

 

[Tobytook]

Oh. Er, well... hmmm

That sort of took the wind out of my sails. I thought I'd made a cool new discovery. Well, new for some people, anyway.

Er... I'll just get me coat.
(For fans of The Fast Show)

Tobytook

 

[lies]

Delete last post from memory then

 

[Darren]

Using Lies' ALT + number method will allow you to use these special symbols in the title of threads too, but the numbers seem to be different to the HTML code eg typing & # 235 (without spaces) gives &#235 but using ALT + 235 gives Ù

Why didn't they set them up to be the same?

 

[lies]

I've asked myself the same question. I've done some research, and I think it's because the ASCII-code is in hex, and you need to convert it to decimal before you can use it with the ALT-trick. I think?