I almost never found out how to type in special characters on my laptop, so
I'll pass this along in case others are having the same problem. At least,
this is the way it works on my Dell laptop.

1. Press and release the NumLock key to turn NumLock on
2. Hold down the Fn+Alt keys
3. Type in the numeric code using the letter keys with the small numbers
(on my PC, these are blue numbers on the m,j,k,l,u,i,o,7,8 and 9 keys)
4. Release the Fn+Alt keys
5. To resume normal typing, press and release NumLock to turn it off

Whew!
James

I almost never found out how to type in special characters on my laptop, so
I'll pass this along in case others are having the same problem. At least,
this is the way it works on my Dell laptop.

1. Press and release the NumLock key to turn NumLock on
2. Hold down the Fn+Alt keys
3. Type in the numeric code using the letter keys with the small numbers
(on my PC, these are blue numbers on the m,j,k,l,u,i,o,7,8 and 9 keys)
4. Release the Fn+Alt keys
5. To resume normal typing, press and release NumLock to turn it off

Or, while maybe not as convenient, you could click Start button, click on
the Accessories item and find the Character Map program in there,
double-click (in order) on the characters you want, then click the Copy
button... you can then paste those characters into your document.

Rick

rick: Character map program will not get you all the characters. Only
printerable chararacter are available. Control character can only be put in
dociments using the ALT key stroke approach.

"Rick Rothstein (MVP - VB)" wrote:

I almost never found out how to type in special characters on my laptop, so
I'll pass this along in case others are having the same problem. At least,
this is the way it works on my Dell laptop.

1. Press and release the NumLock key to turn NumLock on
2. Hold down the Fn+Alt keys
3. Type in the numeric code using the letter keys with the small numbers
(on my PC, these are blue numbers on the m,j,k,l,u,i,o,7,8 and 9 keys)
4. Release the Fn+Alt keys
5. To resume normal typing, press and release NumLock to turn it off

Or, while maybe not as convenient, you could click Start button, click on
the Accessories item and find the Character Map program in there,
double-click (in order) on the characters you want, then click the Copy
button... you can then paste those characters into your document.

Rick

May I ask if you are using Excel 2007?
This works fine in the vba editor, but I've never gotten keyboard shortcuts
to work in 2007 on a worksheet.
On a worksheet, the Alt key brings up the shortcut keys on the ribbon.

I've never understood this part of the documentation in Excel 2007.
I've never gotton it to work. Anyone figure it out?
I am "assuming" this is for inserting a character in a cell.

<copy...

Title: "Insert a symbol, fraction, or special character"

Use the keyboard to insert a Unicode character code in a document:

If you know the character code, you can enter the code in your document and
then press ALT+X to convert it into a character. For example, press 002A and
then press ALT+X to produce *. The reverse also works. To display the
Unicode character code for a character that is already in your document,
place the insertion point directly after the character and press ALT+X.

<end of copy

--
Dana DeLouis
Windows XP & Excel 2007


"Joel" wrote in message
...
rick: Character map program will not get you all the characters. Only
printerable chararacter are available. Control character can only be put
in
dociments using the ALT key stroke approach.

"Rick Rothstein (MVP - VB)" wrote:

I almost never found out how to type in special characters on my laptop,
so
I'll pass this along in case others are having the same problem. At
least,
this is the way it works on my Dell laptop.

1. Press and release the NumLock key to turn NumLock on
2. Hold down the Fn+Alt keys
3. Type in the numeric code using the letter keys with the small
numbers
(on my PC, these are blue numbers on the m,j,k,l,u,i,o,7,8 and 9
keys)
4. Release the Fn+Alt keys
5. To resume normal typing, press and release NumLock to turn it off

Or, while maybe not as convenient, you could click Start button, click on
the Accessories item and find the Character Map program in there,
double-click (in order) on the characters you want, then click the Copy
button... you can then paste those characters into your document.

Rick

Hi Dana,

On laptop it makes no difference for entry of Fn+Alt+0+1+2+8
whether I start with Fn or Alt and continue to hold them while typing in the
digits.
I see the labels for shortcuts appear in Excel 2007 (first day, and you
scared me)
but they don't stop the shortcut from working least not on a laptop when
using Fn button.

Don't know why Rick thought it was necessary to use CapsLock, the only
reason I even have the key on the keyboard is because it is a laptop;
otherwise
it wouldn't even be there.

Actually I've set the three troublesome keys (CapsLock, NumLock,ScrollLock)
to sound
an alarm when turned on/off
Control Panel, Accessibility options, Keyboard tab, Turn on the ToggleKeys
option.

Speaking of CharMap, Hope I can customize my menus and toolbars, it looks
like it is going to be different to say the least. At least the Ctrl+A can
be HIT several
times (three or more) to make it work right, not like it recycles through 3
meanings,
but I still can't believe any Corporation allowed that go through. But I'm
not going to
use my macro, because if macros are off then I'd just as surely destroy my
data.

--
HTH,
David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP -- Excel
My Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm

"Dana DeLouis" wrote in message
...
May I ask if you are using Excel 2007?
This works fine in the vba editor, but I've never gotten keyboard
shortcuts to work in 2007 on a worksheet.
On a worksheet, the Alt key brings up the shortcut keys on the ribbon.

I've never understood this part of the documentation in Excel 2007.
I've never gotton it to work. Anyone figure it out?
I am "assuming" this is for inserting a character in a cell.

<copy...

Title: "Insert a symbol, fraction, or special character"

Use the keyboard to insert a Unicode character code in a document:

If you know the character code, you can enter the code in your document
and then press ALT+X to convert it into a character. For example, press
002A and then press ALT+X to produce *. The reverse also works. To display
the Unicode character code for a character that is already in your
document, place the insertion point directly after the character and press
ALT+X.

<end of copy

--
Dana DeLouis
Windows XP & Excel 2007


"Joel" wrote in message
...
rick: Character map program will not get you all the characters. Only
printerable chararacter are available. Control character can only be put
in
dociments using the ALT key stroke approach.

"Rick Rothstein (MVP - VB)" wrote:

I almost never found out how to type in special characters on my
laptop, so
I'll pass this along in case others are having the same problem. At
least,
this is the way it works on my Dell laptop.

1. Press and release the NumLock key to turn NumLock on
2. Hold down the Fn+Alt keys
3. Type in the numeric code using the letter keys with the small
numbers
(on my PC, these are blue numbers on the m,j,k,l,u,i,o,7,8 and 9
keys)
4. Release the Fn+Alt keys
5. To resume normal typing, press and release NumLock to turn it off

Or, while maybe not as convenient, you could click Start button, click
on
the Accessories item and find the Character Map program in there,
double-click (in order) on the characters you want, then click the Copy
button... you can then paste those characters into your document.

Rick

Don't know why Rick thought it was necessary to use CapsLock

Rick? Me? I don't believe I ever said anything about the CapsLock.

Rick

On Vista the option is, of course, changed for the sake of change
in Windows Vista, ToggleKeys is set in Control Panel, Ease of Use, Eases of
Access Center, Keyboard.

Actually I've set the three troublesome keys (CapsLock,
NumLock,ScrollLock) to sound an alarm when turned on/off
Control Panel, Accessibility options, Keyboard tab, Turn on the
ToggleKeys option.

Sorry, meant the original poster (James).

"Rick Rothstein (MVP - VB)" wrote in
message ...
Don't know why Rick thought it was necessary to use CapsLock

Rick? Me? I don't believe I ever said anything about the CapsLock.

Rick

David, it wasn't the CapsLock but the NumLock that has to be turned on.
Mine doesn't work without it. James

"David McRitchie" wrote in message
...
Sorry, meant the original poster (James).

"Rick Rothstein (MVP - VB)" wrote in
message ...
Don't know why Rick thought it was necessary to use CapsLock

Rick? Me? I don't believe I ever said anything about the CapsLock.

Rick

Thank you so much James!!!

EggHeadCafe - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com

You're welcome! :)
<Maggie McMenemy wrote in message
...
Thank you so much James!!!

EggHeadCafe - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com

Hi Maggie,
Replies are threaded in newsgroups, please do not remove the ""
reply wording generated signifying a reply. Other languages use different
reply prefix but the format is the same single abbreviation followed by a
colon.

Likewise don't change the subject, or start a new thread by changing the
subject in a reply;

If you don't know what a thread is, you would see how threading is used
if you look at this thread in the Google Groups archive. Your newsreader
should be set up to show the same type of indentation as seen at
http://groups.google.com/groups?thre....phx.g blNice of you to thank the original poster for asking the question youobviously wanted an answer to.--HTH, at least part of every question asked in a newsgroup has almostalways been asked before, please learn to use search engines.David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP -- ExcelMy Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm"Maggie McMenemy" wrote in ... Thank you so much James!!! EggHeadCafe - .NET Developer Portal of Choice http://www.eggheadcafe.com