Entering Alt Key Codes in a Document

James Trowbridge · Oct 29, 2021, 2:35 AM

On each Website that tells how to enter Alt Key Codes from the keyboard, it is always the same.

The following is an example of using the On-Screen Keyboard to enter Alt Codes.

Method B – How to use ALT codes on a laptop keyboard without a dedicated

numeric keypad (On-Screen Keyboard)

On a laptop keyboard, a set of keys have a secondary function, that when

enabled, makes them act as a numeric keypad, as shown in the image below:

Locate the Function or Fn key on the bottom left of the keyboard.
Locate the Num Lock or Num Lk key on the top right of the keyboard.
Press and hold the Fn key, press and release the Num Lk key, release the

Fn key. The laptop’s numeric keypad is now enabled.
Place your screen cursor on the location where you want to insert the special

character.
Press and hold down the ALT key on the left side of the keyboard.
On the numeric keypad, type the sequence of numbers (decimal code point

value) that corresponds to the character you want to insert.
Release the ALT key.
The special character will appear at your cursor’s location.
Repeat step 3 to disable the numeric keypad.

The instructions are always the same and the instructions work IF YOU ARE ENTERING A SINGLE DIGIT. In other words this method will insert an Alt Code for the Alt Code for the digits 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9. The Alt Code symbols inserted are shown below:
Alt 1=☺, Alt 2=☻, Alt 3=♥, Alt 4=♦, Alt 5=♣, Alt 6=♠, Alt 7=•, Alt 8=◘, and Alt 9=○

The problem is when you follow the instructions and try to use an Alt Code with 2 (two) or more digits. The keyboard accepts the first digit and inserts the correct Alt Code for the first digit. However, when you try to insert the second digit, you get the “Ding” (the sound that Windows makes when you perform an “illegal” operation).

For instance if you tried to enter the Alt Code for the digit 10, The symbol for the 1
would (Alt 1=☺) correctly be inserted into a document. However, if you CONTINUE TO HOLD THE ALT KEY TO TRY TO INSERT THE SECOND DIGIT (0),
YOU GET THE “DING” (OOPS YOU TRIED AN ILLEGAL OPERATION)

What is he solution or correct procedure for inserting he correct Alt Code for 2 (two) or more digits into a document?

The image for the On-Screen Keyboard is displayed below:

Alan Kilborn · Oct 29, 2021, 10:54 AM

@James-Trowbridge

Do you have difficulty entering 2+ digit alt-codes using this method only in Notepad++, or in all Windows applications where you want to do this? For example, does it or doesn’t it work in stock Notepad.exe ?

James Trowbridge · Oct 29, 2021, 5:28 PM

The problem exists in stock Notepad.exe or any other application. The problem seems to be that in order for it to work with 2+ digit Alt Codes the Alt Key must remain depressed for the second digit. But it will NOT stay depressed. Once the Alt Key been depressed and the first digit has been has been pressed, the Alt Key does not STAY PRESSED (highlighted) in order to enter the 2nd + digit. I have found no way to “lock” the Alt Key so I can enter additional digits.

Alan Kilborn · Oct 29, 2021, 8:26 PM

@James-Trowbridge

Well if it isn’t a problem specific to Notepad++ (and it doesn’t sound like it is), this forum probably isn’t the right place to seek information about it.

This is somewhat proven by the lack of any other responses today.

However, I’m not sure what forum might be able to answer your question.

guy038 · Oct 30, 2021, 1:15 AM

Hello, @james-trowbridge, @alan-kilborn and All,

Yes, I’ve tried to find a solution, googling a bit, but no chance, yet -:(( Just try :

Start Notepad++
Open a new tab
Choose the police Courier New
Enable the visual keyboard in Windows 10 ( Win + Ctrl + O shortcut )
If you do not see the numeric keypad, click on the options key and check the option Activate the numeric keypad
Now, click on the ALT key => the key becomes blue and seems locked
As soon as you hit a number , from 1 to 9, on the numeric keypad ( of the visual keyboard ! ), the Alt is unlocked and one of the following characters is written on the document window :
Alt + 0 = None
Alt + 1 = ☺
Alt + 2 = ☻
Alt + 3 = ♥
Alt + 4 = ♦
Alt + 5 = ♣
Alt + 6 = ♠
Alt + 7 = •
Alt + 8 = ◘
Alt + 9 = ○

And all the following mouse clicks on a number key, from 1 to 9, of the numeric keypad, of the visual keyboard just insert the numbers in the document window :-((

For example :

If, with a physical usual keyboard, you hold down the Alt key and, simultaneously, hit successively the keys 0, 1, 8 and 2 of the numeric keypad, and, then, you release the Alt key, the ¶ character , from the Win-1252 encoding table, is written
Doing the same process with the Microsoft visual keyboard leads to the insertion of the number 182 !?
If you hold down the Alt key and, simultaneously, hit successively the keys 2, 4 and 4 of the numeric keypad, and, then, you release the Alt key, the ¶ character, from the OEM 850 encoding table, is written
Doing the same process with the Microsoft visual keyboard leads to the insertion of the string ☻44 !!

Note, that in all cases, the insertion of a character occurs WHEN the key is released, ( not pressed ! ) So the main question is :

Is there a way to lock / unlock the Alt key on a virtual visual keyboard ?

Sometimes, the Emojis and Symbols Microsoft panel may be be useful, too !

Hit the Win + ; or the Win + . shortcut
Click on the Ω ohm symbol tab
Choose your character to insert

Best Regards,

guy038

PeterJones · Oct 29, 2021, 11:01 PM

@James-Trowbridge ,

Personally, I have always used the ancient Windows OS feature charmap.exe for accessing special characters – I have it saved in my Notepad++ Run menu with a keyboard shortcut to make it easy to access from Notepad++ … once it pops up, I choose “Group By: Unicode Subrange” and pick the category (“subrange”) of characters to choose from.

But I just tried @guy038’s Win+; (and I think his “or” was meant to be Win+. instead of a second semicolon-based shortcut, because that’s the shortcut that the Emojis and Symbols panel told me to use when I first invoked it by Win+;… but now it’s stopped showing me that) – I might have to try to remember this one, because it might be faster (and supported longer into the future) than the old charmap.