# Solved: Special character codes don't work in Word anymore



## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

Word XP (aka Word 2002).
The key codes for special characters & symbols don't work in Word anymore. Nothing shows up on the page when I try to use them. (Like ALT + 0189, etc.) I have been retrieving them out of Character Map which is a colossal pain - can't keep doing that! The codes do work in Wordpad and in Notepad, just not in Word. Is there a Word tool to re-enable their use?
Caps Lock is not on.


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## jrom727 (Jan 22, 2005)

marie500 said:


> Word XP (aka Word 2002).
> The key codes for special characters & symbols don't work in Word anymore. Nothing shows up on the page when I try to use them. (Like ALT + 0189, etc.) I have been retrieving them out of Character Map which is a colossal pain - can't keep doing that! The codes do work in Wordpad and in Notepad, just not in Word. Is there a Word tool to re-enable their use?
> Caps Lock is not on.


My bet the shortkeys were deleted, you can add them again by:
MS Word,
Insert,
Symbol,
"Special Characters" TAB,
Click on the "Shortcut Key" button, then you can add / customize the shortcut key/s for a certain symbol.

Hope it helps! better than retrieving them over and over again on the Character Map


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

These aren't shortcut codes that I dreamed up myself and I never assigned them, they're just the commom keystrokes for fractions, cents sign, division sign, etc. 
For instance I'm no longer able to make "ALT + 0189" show up as "½" in Word. Nothing works anymore. 

I see the tab you mean but don't know what to do! It doesn't let me add things. I see a "Customize Keyboard" box, but don't see a way to add anything to that either. 

(I'm enclosing two screenshots so you can see what I'm seeing.)


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## jrom727 (Jan 22, 2005)

Sorry, I provided the wrong instructions a while ago... very sorry bout that.. 

ok, here we go,
*Insert,
*Symbol,
*On the "Symbols" tab, select the character you want to have a shortcut key on / highlight the character you wish to use...
*Then, click on the "Shortcut Key" button at the bottom part to assign a shorcut key to that highlighted character.
*Click on the space under "Press new shortcut key:" then press the short cut key you desire for the concerned special character.
NOTE: Note, use the CTRL key to enter a shortcut. Ex.for "®", then i'll press Ctrl + Alt + R.

After pressing the shortcut key you desire, then click on "assign"

Let me know if you need some screenshots, i'll be home later, am at work right now that's why can't focus too much with my steps.

I apologize again.


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## cronista (Nov 28, 2004)

Marie:
It is significant that the problem occurs only in MS Word.

The ASCII characters should be available in any program; they are a native component of Windows.

I know this doesn't solve your problem. It does help, however, to know that the problem is a MS Word problem.

I use these ASCII codes every day, for example, to make the character ñ I do ALT+0241 using the number keypad. Matters not whether the CAPS key is locked or not. HOWEVER, sometimes I have forgotten to enable the NUM LOCK key. But if you forget to enable the NUM LOCK key, you will have the same problem in ALL programs, not just MS Word.

Using the ALT+ key to make accents such as é (ALT+0233) and á (ALT+0255) and characters like © (ALT+0169) and ± (ALT+1077) are much easier than the "insert symbol" process. You already know this, but a few readers may not. 

I'm sure some MS Word expert will provide you a solution!
Cordially,
Cronista
Phoenix


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## jrom727 (Jan 22, 2005)

cronista said:


> Marie:
> It is significant that the problem occurs only in MS Word.
> 
> The ASCII characters should be available in any program; they are a native component of Windows.
> ...


Trust me,
You can assign shortcut keys with special characters by following the steps
 Im no MS word expert but im sure the steps would resolve your issue


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## cronista (Nov 28, 2004)

JDUP86 et al:
I agree with you that you can assign shortcut keys to handle special characters.
I wonder, however, why take the time to do this when all possible ASCII characters from the various character sets are already built into Windows and accessible with the ALT+nn keys? 
This function is available in all of Marie's other programs, but not in MS Word. If I had this problem, I wouldn't think twice; I would simply re-install MS Word. 
Cordially,
cronista


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

I think I assigned the cents key back to ALT + 0162. It won't show up on here though! (Will anyone's? ..maybe it's a site thing.) But the rest is not going smoothly. For instance, the "Registered" symbol (R inside circle) refuses to be assigned to ALT + 0174, which is what it used to be, what every "code" guide on the internet tells me it should be. I have no idea what to do about defiant ones like that -?

Also what should I be doing about the drop-down box that can be set to Unicode (hex), ASCII (decimal), and ASCI (hex)? No idea.

_Edited to add- Re: reinstalling Word, I have both "MS Office Professional Edition" and "MS Office Professional XP with Front Page" in Add/Remove programs. I don't even know which one is actually being used. This is really over my head now._


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

Marie...

Perhaps your Word is just messed up. Do you have a lot of customization done? If not, perhaps you should consider doing Word troubleshooting:
http://www.officearticles.com/word/steps_to_troubleshooting_microsoft_word.htm

Basically, follow the steps, checking if the problem still exists after each step, until your problem is resolved. While jdub may be correct, and this is the quick fix, it's not a resolution for someone who is used to using the character map.

If running Word troubleshooting doesn't work either, then perhaps your character map is what has become corrupt? As far as I know, it's still a simple executable file. So if you get this far, perhaps rename the file charmap.exe to charmapold.exe, and copy charmap.exe from someone else's PC. Also, be advised that some keyboards handle shortcuts differently than others. I have a wireless keyboard (that I have thankfully gotten rid of) that forces me to hit the "F key" (some key, upper-right of the keyboard) to "turn on" using function keys. How stupid that the default was not "on" already!!


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

Each user on this computer has their own normal.dot, plus there's some additional ones (for seven total). Do I change all of them to "abnormal.dot?," then reopen Word and see if things are fixed? What about the prefixed "~$" normal.dots? Just delete?
The link gives me the general idea but not these scary little particulars! 
Is character map part of normal.dot?

Could I remove, then re-add, character map from Add/Remove Windows Components> Accessorires (in Control panel > Add/Remove Software?)
_
Add: It's not Word, I just uninstalled/reinstalled it, same problem. _
Also the above (add/remove charmap) didn't work so I'll try your method, have to find someone though.


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

Does the problem exist for everyone?

You said you uninstalled and reinstalled...but did you follow the steps I provided? Un/Install is NOT usually the "fix" for Microsoft Word.


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

Also... does charmap work in Excel? If not, you should know it's charmap (a Windows issue) and not Word, right?

Also... I can send charmap from WinXP SP2; just PM me with your email addy.


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

I don't use Excel don't even know how. I didn't rename to normal.dot per your link, I thought reinstalling would kindof kill two birds, give me a new normal.dot and a new start. But you're right, it looks to be a charmap issue alright. The codes seem to work okay for other users. I'm the problem. Will emailing you now, appreciate your offer!


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

Reinstalling doesn't replace normal.dot... see here: http://www.officearticles.com/word/about_normal_dot_in_microsoft_word.htm

(You should know this whether you use the information now or later).


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## jrom727 (Jan 22, 2005)

Dreamboat said:


> Reinstalling doesn't replace normal.dot... see here: http://www.officearticles.com/word/about_normal_dot_in_microsoft_word.htm
> 
> (You should know this whether you use the information now or later).


that would be my next assumption that normal.dot was messed up somehow..
I apologize marie if I wasn't able to reply... but i think our mod handled it 100 times better than I can..

Thanks Dreamboat


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

Hey, jdub... I will often post the quick fix if no one has yet posted the long-term fix (that I'm unaware of). Kudos to you.


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

I'm going to do the normal.dot rename now (Dreamboat I emailed you but I probably blew that, too, LOL). Do I rename each one (seven in all) no matter whose folders they're located in? Rename the ~$normal.dot.dots as well?


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

Marie?? I replied last night with the file attached... 

As long as Word is closed, feel free to rename all normal.dots and to delete all ~$normal.dots


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

Will do! (-just emailed you again)


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

Normal.dot wasn't it. Also, it didn't create a new normal.dot that I can find. But I can use Word. 
I renamed them "abnormal.dot" then opened Word and typed a few lines. Closed and searched for a new Normal.dot and don't have one. OK or not OK?
NEVER MIND I HAVE IT NOW.
Still have the character problem but at least I have my file!


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

I sent you an email to your hotmail account. In it, is a link to www.myexpertsonline.com/charmap.zip


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

I did the charmap. That's not it either! Same thing. Codes still work in Word on at least one other person's screen, but not in Word on my screen. Codes still work in Wordpad for me. 
Codes seem to work for everything except but my own screen's Word program. Normal.dot has been remade, Word has been reinstalled, now a new charmap file has been installed. Can't be the keyboard because we all use the same one. There's nothing I could have switched off to disable it?


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

Okay. Do me a favor, k? Humor me. 

Do this:
http://www.officearticles.com/misc/how_to_clean_up_your_hard_drive.htm

If that does not help, take the troubleshooting steps for Word IN THE EXACT ORDER IN WHICH THEY APPEAR (including that registry edit!).
http://www.officearticles.com/word/steps_to_troubleshooting_microsoft_word.htm

If that doesn't work for you, we're gonna send your thread over to the Windows forum.


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

The beginning where it says "close everything except Explorer and systray" - I don't see any "systray." I didn't want to start without checking first! It sounds important to have this, since they want me to keep it going. Not there though.

They mean to turn off NAV and firewall? They don't say disconnect from the internet.


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

Systray is a holdover from Windows 98. Ignore it. 
"They" is me.
Yes, you can turn off NAV and the firewall for now.
And... if you get stuck, PM me your phone number. As long as you're in the US, I'll call ya.


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

How nice! Okay here goes...I'll be back...  !!


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## marie500 (May 6, 2002)

All finished, no change. Luckily I defragged not too long ago so could do that part in under 10 hours!

Here's something I noticed. When I try to forcibly "assign" the symbols to their shortcut codes, it the previous code inputted starts printing the most recent symbol assigned. For instance, after separately typing in the codes for one-fourth, one-half, and three-fourths (closing the box after each time), all codes end up printing the last symbol assigned. In this case, each of the three different codes now produces the three-fourths symbol.

Also when I input the codes, the box doesn't reflect what I'm actually typing. I type in ALT+{0189, or whatever number} for one-half, but it READS: "ALT+Insert, End"..they all say that. Then if I reopen the previous shortcut keys I assigned to see what they say, they're now blank and say nothing.

I know I am making your head hurt very much.

_Added: When I did that repair thing in Word from the help menu, I had it remove all my customizations. The above ahppened after doing that - and was also happening last night anyway, so is not a new development._

*Okay, solved it! The NUM LOCK key wasn't on!! *
Thanks an awful lot for all the help, much appreciated.


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