I open Keyboard Viewer, always handily available on the menu bar. It tells me what the modifier keys do. So if I want ë, f'rinstance, it turns out to be alt-u followed by e gives me ë. And so on.
With macOS, Keyboard Viewer is FOC, and there's nothing to configure, remember or look up. There's also the Emoji and Symbols Viewer if you happen to feel like typing Gujarati or Tamil. Or emojis. 🤣 is the ROTFL emoji. Whether that shows up at your end depends on whether you're using UTF8 or not. If you're stuck in some random Windows code-page, probably not.
Sadly my keyboard seems stuck on *Standard PS/2* with no obvious route to change. However, I can now do acute accents which is a step forward:-)
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An easier to remember method for Win10/11 (not earlier) is Winkey with fullstop, this gives you several sets of characters, symbols, emoticons, emoji to choose from.
please explain 'AltGr'. I know 'Alt'
I am using a DEC LK450 keyboard with a PS/2 connection so the ALT+<decimal number> should work for you too.
I have set it to USA keyboard though because the layout is VT200
You're not changing the type of keyboard, you're changing your language settings, you want "United Kingdom Extended"
I don't think I could bear using an LK** keyboard unless the Compose sequences worked ...
See right-side of the spacebar instead of left
Much easier, if you only need the odd accented word or phrase, is to use AutoHotKey scripting. It is small and ultra fast and will change and/or insert any odd bits of text you like, and you only have to set it up once. For example, I have mine set to only let me type "café" or "bête noire" accented - when I type them unaccented it changes them as I type. It can be run from Windows Startup (there's a similar Linux version) and will work in any text based program - Thunderbird , Word, Dialog etc. etc.
Anyone who tries it will find (once you get the hang of it) an unbelievable list of things that it will do as well. If you're into programming you'd fine it much easier than I did - but it has sample files and a good help section.
If you regularly write in more than one language, of course, you need to use the correct keyboard and language settings - but I'll bet you would still find AutoHotKey useful for other things.
Please my I steal your signoff line for my list - it's not only amusing, but spot on.
I'll admit I cheated.
I have T'Bird set with three dictionaries; English (UK) English (US) and French.
I just typed creme brulee (It was happy with the first, but not the second) then ran the French spell checker on it.
I don't know enough of any other language to want to write in it.
Andy
The compose key is missing-in-action, and has been taped over !.
I am only using the LK450 keyboard because the normal cheapo USB windows keyboard is connected to the HP AIO PC that I bought in a charity shop.
I knew left and right had different possible actions - but why Gr? Is it coloured green on some keyboards? Or is is Port & starboard colours?
Sure. I stole in from Tim Streater as I recall. But he's nicked some of mine too.
IIRC GR=Greek
Hmm. I suppose there is always the *wayback* route if I get something wrong.
I'll give it a try this evening. I may be gone some time:-)
Sometimes, along with SysRq on the PrtScrn key, but I don't think it's Gr=green
I thought it was Gr=graphic, going back to the '80s it never did much on a UK flavour keyboard, AltGr + backtick got you an alternate form of vertical bar, and I think that was it, later it was used with 4 for a euro symbol.
Sadly United Kingdom Extended is not on the list.
This m/c is W7 pro 32bit.
At that age, it could also be called 101 key or 102 key.
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