There is a lot of talk about trying to remember special characters’ escape codes, but something that many people seem not to know is that you can, infact, use the standard HTML &xxx characters to obtain them.
How?
Type in the ampersand sequence that would normally apply, for example, &**euml, then preview. On preview it will look the same, but when you look, then, into the textarea for the message, the character will be properly rendered. On submission there are no problems. This is much more helpful than remembering the Alt+xxxx codes which aren’t exactly intuitive.
Unfortunately, &**nbsp dosn’t work with this (since it tuens into a space in the text area and then gets ignored all over again), but you can indent fine simply by using [list] without marking things wih *, then [/list] to return to normal. (can’t see what a nbsp would be for otherwise).Hope this helps!
As a relative newcomer to the board, I admit that I am much more confortable using HTML tags than I am with vB code. Not that there’s much difference – any? – between the two other the the characters used to encapsulate instructions, but through the years I’ve become quite used to the “<>” symbols as opposed to the brackets.
To make a long story short…I’m not sure I understand what you mean by saying that “HTML code is still active” when instructions on the posting screen clearly say “HTML code is Off.” IOW, I don’t understand the rest of your explanation…gets a bit too technical for me.
Don’t think this is much of an issue, but if I could keep using HTML, I would. Just a lot more intuitive for me at this time.
Oh, HTML is off, RedFury, you are not able to use <em> or <p> or <div align=“center”>, for example. All this will do is allow you to use the & character shortcuts that HTML does have in it. If you don’t know what those are, Check this out. It lists a ton of them.
So, in order to get the ë character, do the following:
[list=1]
[li]Type your response. When you need the ë character, type “&**euml”. (without the quotes, of course)[/li][li]hit the “Preview Reply” button on the reply page.[/li][li]Inside the “message” textarea you will see that your &**euml has turned into an ë (if you hit “preview reply” again you’ll even see it in the previewed response— it is there forever more)[/li][/list=1]
Yay!
carl, no problem. Stupid character maps, after all that time hand-coding HTML! Nevermore!!!
What is interesting about this is that the “;” at the end are optional… both &**euml and &**euml; will produce an ë.
**Why don’t you just use the Character Map accessory that’s on your system? **
Nothing at all to remember or store. ®¶½¿ etc. are a click away.
Seems to me those old code sequences are just old DOS die-hard hints, and make it harder for people to use accents, not easier.
Much appreciated, methinks I now understand what you were saying in your initial post. However, for foreign characters and symbols, I find that the “alt+ number” combinations do the trick well.
hey, be my guest with the character map-- mine isn’t installed, and apart from that, I already know the &codes from coding HTML, as do many here. This does really make it helpful, and many of them are very intuitively named, which makes them much easier than memorizing number codes.
Hey, use what you want, if you already have something memorized then why learn more?
Personally, I think it’s easier to type something like naïve, rather than open up Character Map and find the correct character to insert for just that one word. Likewise other characters I use infrequently, but that do come up. Also easier to remember the html sequences than the ALT codes, as they actually follow a pattern.
Like you said, guys. Whatever works for you. Personally, I find it very easy to open the character map – no need to memorize anything. Which at my age is certainly an advantage.
Matter of fact, I have this free proggie extended character map that includes more combinations than I’ll ever need…
I dunno, if I can type something and avoid using the mouse I will do that. I abhor using the mouse… I only like programs that allow me to do everything with the keyboard. I Alt+Tab through windows, I Ctrl+Tab through documents in windows, I Tab through Tab-stops in windows… escape sequences or shortcuts are absolutely necessary for this task
to this end, putting an umlat on a letter is 1000 times easier using &xuml; than opening up a character map, finding the stupid character, then putting it in… ugh.
Maybe its the old-schooler in me, but I don’t like using the mouse.
Which reminds me, I also couldn’t find the long dash. In MS Word you can hit Ctrl+Alt+num- to get a long dash… is this available as an ampersand character… or even an alt sequence? I use dashes all the time, very much a part of my writing style, and it is a pain to use ‘–’ instead.
Not sure if this is what you need, but the “alt + 0151” combo should give you this dash = — which is longer than the regular one produced by regular keyboarding or “alt + 0150” = –.
