Input method

The input method is a method for entering mark ( character) into a computer, even if the characters on the keyboard does not exist. This occurs when there is a lot more characters than keys ( such as the Chinese or Japanese ) or if the character of a foreign language, such as Cyrillic letters or German umlauts in English keyboard layout.

With key combination

Alt key and numbers on the numeric keypad

Input in Microsoft Windows and the Linux console on computers the i386 architecture: hold Alt key, enter code on the number pad decimal ( eg 64), release the Alt key (in the example is @ ). If you enter the four-digit number, it is interpreted as Unicode characters, with three or fewer digits as characters from the extended ASCII. ie returns Alt 177 ▒, but Alt 0177 ±.

This applies, for example text editors ( NotePad, TextPad, WordPad, kate ), for the DOS command-line input, partly for the free office suite OpenOffice.org, Microsoft Office components Excel, Access and PowerPoint, as well as NumLock switched on for Microsoft Word.

For laptops and small keyboards, the numeric keypad, if it does not exist, can be simulated with a function key. For example, Fn 7 (7 ), 8 ( 8), nine (9) U (4 ), I ( 5 ), O ( 6), J ( 1 ), K ( 2 ), L ( 3 ), M ( 0 ). It is also possible to retrofit the keypad as a USB device.

Shift and Ctrl keys

Here hold Ctrl and Shift ( the Shift ) key code in hexadecimal format (example: 40 for @ ) In GNOME, a graphical user interface of Unix-like systems, release Ctrl and Shift. From GNOME version 2.15 Ctrl and Shift must be kept pressed, wherein before the hexadecimal code still, enter U ' is (example: u40 for @ ). It works on both the numeric keypad and on the alphanumeric pad.

In MS Word: Alt key and "C"

Only in Microsoft Word, there is another possibility. Here is the hexadecimal value of the character is used, and in both directions. After entering this value, eg 00B1 or U 00 B1 using the number keys above the letter keys and the keys A to F, the insertion point ( cursor ) then immediately positioned and Alt C ( in dialog boxes, press Alt X) pressed; the string is replaced, in the example by ±.

Likewise, the key combination Alt C (Alt X no longer from Word 2007) are used to generate the character codes ( code point ) of a character, even if this can not be displayed on the font used. The cursor must be positioned immediately to the right of the character / string. Using Press again to Alt C can be restored to the initial state, so it can be switched back and forth. For example: 611B ↔ 爱.

With a special entry program Input Method Editor ( IME)

Especially when entering text in Japanese and Chinese, it is expedient to use special entry programs. For the same sequence of letters about the Pinyin generally fit more words or characters. One can after entering the sequence of letters to select the desired character from a popup menu (see Figure ).