Do you know about windows ALT codes?
You can use them to type non regular symbols without messing with keyboard settings.
this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2025
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It can be a lot of work to look up the alt code every time. Emdash on Linux is [Alt]+[Shift]+U,2,0,1,4,[Space]. It's really easy to fat finger. It was really hard to remember. I still have to look up •, °, interrobang (phone keyboard didn't even have that one), and others.
It also slows me down a lot to have to tab over and back. I have enough trouble with time as it is.
That's what I have been resorting to for my notes but it takes a really long time.
If Surfaces can install it (a quick search suggests that it can), you can use AutoHotkey to build your own GUI/popup window of an adjustable list of all of these nonstandard characters. Think of it like a customizable charmap only showing the ones you wanna see in your specified order.
Alternatively, you could use AutoHotkey to map Alt+Shift+E or whatever you want to instantly spit out ∈, etc.
I'd be happy to help you further in [email protected].
I think this might be exactly what I was looking for. I just got started with it and there's a lot to cover.
There's better answers, and I've used some of them.
But I always return to just keeping a text file open with the Unicode symbols I need.
A step up from there is setting up text macros in my text editor. When I was favoring VSCodium, I pretty much copied my text file into the JSON config, added some shortcut names, and started using it.
I'm learning more about custom keyboard firmware now, and hope to have a dedicated virtual keyboard layer for fancy symbols and ASCII art, at some point in the future.
But in a pinch, I just end up with a text file to copy and paste from.
When I am on my desktop PC it is viable to copy and pasted but when I am using a track pad and keyboard or using my stylus copy and paste is way too much work.
I have a programmable keyboard but have not played with setting up Unicode keys. I like the idea and may wind up being that keyboard to class. It might be a bit too clicky for a classroom setting through.
A software keyboard would be ideal. I just don't know where to get started.