Inserting Symbols with Windows Vista Character Map

Character Map lets you insert common symbols and foreign characters into your current document, giving your documents that extra coup de grâce. The handy little program displays a box that lists every available character and symbol.

For example, follow these steps to insert the copyright character — © — somewhere in your work:

1. Choose Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Character Map.

Make sure that your current font — the name for the style of your letters — appears in the Font box.

If the font you're using in your document isn't showing, click the Font box's down arrow and then scroll down and click your font when it appears in the drop-down list.

2. Scan the Character Map box until you see the symbol you're after; then pounce on that character with a double-click.

The symbol appears in the Characters to Copy box.

3. Right-click in the document where you want the symbol to appear and choose Paste.

The symbol appears, conveniently using the same font as your document.

The following list gives you more details about inserting special characters in your document:

• If you use foreign words a lot, place a shortcut to Character Map on your desktop, ready for quick consultation. Right-click Character Map from the Start menu and choose Copy. Right-click on your desktop and choose Paste Shortcut.

Find yourself constantly typing the same foreign character or symbol? Then memorize its shortcut key sequence, the little numbers shown in Character Map's lower-right corner. For example, to paste © into any document, hold down Alt and type 0169 using your keyboard's numeric keypad. The copyright symbol appears as you release the Alt key. (Make sure that your Num Lock key is turned on.)

Table 1 lists the shortcut keys for some commonly used symbols.

Table 1: Handy Codes for Handy Characters