Can you use the keyboard to the fullest?
But perhaps you don’t know this trick to generate other special characters, not present directly from the keyboard! In fact we can use the “character map” ( Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Character Map ) which gives access to all available characters (based on the font), also of other alphabets (Greek letters such as alpha, beta, gamma, phi, ohm, etc.) or drawings/symbols, in combination with the “Alt” key (which we find on the left of the spacebar, not “Alt Gr ” which is right instead).
Basically we have to hold the “ Alt ” key and simultaneously enter the numbers (the character code) using the numeric keypad (the one on the right). At the end release the “Alt” key.
Here are some of the most common symbols:
- ~ (tilde/circa) => Alt + 0126
- Ø (phi) => Alt + 0216
- ½ (0.5, half) => Alt + 0189
If the code is not available, such as for the Greek character OHM (Ω) often used in electronics, you can select it and press the “select” button and then “copy”. All you have to do is stick it where you need it.
Here is an example of the “character map”