Where to config XP to allow accent marks (diacritics) to be keyboarded

It's been so long since my WIN98 was set up I took it for granted that the ability to enter key combinations to achieve foreign accent marks would be self evident on my new machine (now XP).

The desired function is to hold the tilde key (upper left corner under Esc) while entering n key to achieve accented n. Same strategy works for double quote key (to put umlauts on vowels. Same works for single quote to put French accents.

My vague recollection (could be wrong) is that in WIN9x this works after selecting International English as language instead of default American English. I find no 'international' option among the selections on XP's Regional Options (from Control Panel). HELP doesn't seem to know anything about 'accent' or 'diacritical'.

Thanks in advance.

ahe1146

 

In a manner you are right, however, I gave up on the keyboard shortcuts awhile back.

Instead I use MS Office Bar and stick the Charmap.exe on it. When I want a CHARacter that is not on the keyboard, just click it, then grab exactly the one that I want.

Code:

 

Thanks, Jerry,

What I'm looking for is a system-wide setting. In WIN98 the 2-key combinations for accents worked identically whether I was using low-level Wordpad, non-Microsoft e-mail client, or work-related text via TELNET client on-line.

I'm sure it's there somewhere. Just can't find it.

ahe

 

Just curious, how MANY accented critters do you need fast access to...?

There is a prog from Ziff Davis that allows you to click on a programmed button, then it will feed the saved script, ascii whatever to wherever window you have the focus on.

As such you could create a menu and list all of the special char's that you need access to, click on it, and let it feed the output where you want. Also WinXP compatible.

If you decide to go for it, ask, I can send the prog, and instructions on create the menu. It is a breese to figure out.

 

Incase I did not say this, This feeds the saved ascii directly to the input bypassing the keyboard input.

Most trojans, watch for keyboard input, At lest I believe they do, this bypasses that portion of it.

But regardless of that, I assume you are working in MS Dos windows, etc. or even Windows programs.. regardless. This feeds the out put where you have the keyboard focus.

 

Well, this may actually get interesting by the time it's solved.

Good old Google helped me find this page:

http://www.ecolebilingue.org/tech/accents_en.asp

On it you'll see an excellent description of the method I've used in the past and INTEND to use in XP (come you-know-what or YOU-KNOW-WHAT).

I've e-mailed the author hoping that he'd be interested in updating his useful page which was current thru Windows 2000/ME. Surely he'll want to be up-to-date vis-a-vis XP, as well.

His 'method # 1' confirms that my recollection of how I did this in WIN98 wasn't crazy. It's just no longer like that in XP. I'll report back when I've heard from him, or otherwise cracked this nut.

Can it actually be that we're too early in the XP product cycle to have this piece included??

ahe

 

OK, International Sports Fans.

Consider this problem solved.

Thanks go to Mike Yamaguchi at the site linked in my previous posting here.

Although his site doesn't yet include XP, he was nice enough to answer my e-mail and promised to update the site soon.

For anyone needing it in the meantime, here's the trick. NO THANKS go to Microsoft who have made this radically different than all previous versions of WINDOWs and haven't yet provided any documentation to help figure it out. How typical!!

Go to Control Panel.
Select Regional and Language Options.
Click tab that says "Languages ".
Click button that says "Details ".
This will open a tab called "settings" with top half and bottom half. The top half will probably be set to "English (United States) US" and have nothing else to select at the moment. (What I write here will probably only be applicable to American installations of XP).

At the bottom of this tab will be a section called
"installed services" which has an "add" button.
Click "ADD" and then use the down-arrow under "Keyboard layout/IME" to find "English (United States) International ". Select it and back out of this path clicking "APPLY" and selecting the newly added "International" setting as you go. Then you, too, will be able to write like this:
é, è, Ü, Ñ, Û, Ö, and impress all your friends.

Over and Out.

ahe

 

addendum...?

go a step further on that..
Before you start clicking ok, and backing out saving what you have...

click below that on Advanced Key setting, then check those settings for switching back and forth..

 

Glad you like it!

Feel free to deposit donations/rewards in €
in my Swiss bank account.

ahe