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Character Map

Character Map is a useful application which is installed with your Windows Operating System. Character Map may be launched by following the Programs - Accessories - System Tools path from the Windows Start menu.

After opening Character Map, simply scroll through the table of available characters, click on the character you want, click the Select button, and click the Copy button. This will copy the character (or series of characters) you have selected to the Windows clipboard. Now you can Paste the character into any Windows application which supports the Paste feature.

How to insert characters with a keystroke shortcut

If the selected character has a keystroke shortcut, it will be displayed on the right side of Character Map's message line. With this keystroke shortcut, you can insert the special character in most Windows applications by holding down the Alt key and typing the four numbers on the keyboard Numbers Pad (NumLock must be on). When you release the Alt key, the character will be inserted.

Programming this Alt+Number combination into a key on the X-keys is easily done and a fairly reliable method for inserting characters, but there are a few drawbacks with using the keystroke shortcut:
• Many characters don’t have keystroke shortcuts.
• The keystroke shortcut is Font Dependant. Invoking “Alt+0176” will insert a degree character if you are using Arial font. The same shortcut in a font like Bailey or Wingdings will insert a completely different character.
• The Alt+four-digit combination is not easily remembered or efficiently executed.

How to program characters without a keystroke shortcut on an X-keys

Open Character Map again and check the “Advanced View” check box.

Select a character and note that the message line displays the Unicode hexadecimal value for this character (2264). Also note that with Advanced View selected, a “Go to Unicode” feature is available. Using these two pieces of information it is possible to construct a macro in X-keys Macro Works which will:

1. Launch Character Map
2. Enter a specific value in the Go to Unicode field
3. Select the character
4. Copy the character
5. Close Character Map
6. Paste the character

This may sound like the long way around what should be a simple task, but it has the added benefit of preserving the font and character in the Paste operation. In other words, the operation is no longer font dependant. Even if you are writing in Bailey font, inserting the degree sign with our macro will paste an Arial font degree sign in your application.

For step by step instructions in creating this macro, please continue here: X-keys Character Insert Tutorial.

How to insert characters in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has its own feature for inserting characters and for assigning keystroke shortcuts to them.

Selecting Symbol in the Insert menu will open a window similar to Character Map where you select the character.

MS Word also accepts the standard Alt+four-digit shortcut, but with the font dependency mentioned above.

For step by step instructions to assign a keyboard shortcut to insert a character in MS Word and program that shortcut into a key on an X-keys, please continue here: X-keys MS Word Insert Tutorial.

Questions & Notes:

Where can I buy an X-keys for special characters?

See all of our X-keys USB devices listed here: X-keys or you can order an X-keys Stick or X-keys Desktop and see how we set them up for special characters here: X-keys & Special Characters.

I have run out of keys

Should you find that you need more characters on your X-keys, a second layer is also made available by programming one key as a Layer Shift or Layer Toggle key. Selecting the second layer in Macro Maker will allow you to program the keys.

Tell us about it

We hope this tutorial is helpful. Please contact us with any questions or comments. E-mail: [email protected]