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belgique

Nov 22, 2005, 6:59 AM

Post #1 of 27 (2655 views)

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Spanish Keyboard

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I guess this could go in the Learning Spainsh or Technology forums, but they are not very active. If the Mod wishes to move it there, no problem.

Those of you who write Spanish...how do you do it on computers? I think you could buy an AZERTY (Spanish) keyboard and use it when writing Spanish, but not sure how that works. Suggestions?

A disclaimer: I have enough trouble writing English so this isn't for me, yet....but I'll get there. My Bride of several decades is like a parrot (French, Italian, English, some Dutch, some German) and will be fluent in Spanish in very quick order). She corrects my English. :-)

Thanks in advance and thanks to all for the good advice on these forums.

Rolly

Nov 22, 2005, 8:32 AM

Post #2 of 27 (2631 views)

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Re: [belgique] Spanish Keyboard

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English keys missing on a Spanish keyboard:

' (apostrophe) = ALT 0146
@ (at) = ALT 64

Spanish keys Missing on an English keyboard:

á = ALT 160
é = ALT 130
í = ALT 161
ó = ALT 162
ú = ALT 163
ñ = ALT 164
Ñ = ALT 165
¿ = ALT 168
¡ = ALT 173

Rolly Pirate

tonyburton / Moderator

Nov 22, 2005, 8:35 AM

Post #3 of 27 (2628 views)

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Re: [belgique] Spanish Keyboard

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Various past threads have explored this subject, and the options.
To find them, use the "Search Posts" function in the brown toolbar above all posts, including this one.
Type in "Spanish" and "Keyboard"; hit return/enter/search and you'll get lots of hits to explore.
We'll leave the post here for a while, if only to remind everybody of the very efficient Search Posts function!

belgique

Nov 22, 2005, 8:53 AM

Post #4 of 27 (2620 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] Spanish Keyboard

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Sorry Mr. Mod. I did do a search and got no hits....now I know why...I searched in the Learning Spanish forum not all forums. Apologies.

jerezano

Nov 22, 2005, 9:13 AM

Post #5 of 27 (2613 views)

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Re: [belgique] Spanish Keyboard

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Hello all,

The solution is simple. The method to get to the solution depends on the version of Windows that you use. The way on XP is a bit more complicated than on Windows 2000 which I use. Mainly because Microsoft has a habit of changing names for panels, keys, and programs from one version of windowws to another. The functions are always there but sometimes hidden by moving from one location to another.

Here is the nut in the shell. Use the International keyboard. Using it you don't need to worry about Spanish keyboards, language changes, or using alt+3 numbers on the numeric pad.

On Windows 2000 here is what you do: Go to Start, Configuration, Control Panel. In Control Panel, click on Keyboard, then for Language choose English United States, then click on properties. You will be offered a choice of keyboards from standard, Dvjorak, etc. Choose International. Click OK and OK on all backing out screens.

To use: Hold down the right alternate button and click on aeiou áéíóú n ñ etc. To get the Capitals hold down the right alternate and shift keys and hit the key ÁÉÍÓÚ etc. release and there it is. Only one problem. When you want the " or the ' you will need to follow the key with a space bar (it will not create a space); otherwise you will get a special character such as á for a or © for c.

You can do the same on Windows XP or any other version of Windows since 3.1 It will just be hard to find where they have hidden the international keyboard.

I type more in Spanish that I do in English and I have found over many years of experience that this method is absolutely the easiest.

Adios. jerezano.

Papirex

Nov 22, 2005, 9:14 AM

Post #6 of 27 (2612 views)

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Re: [belgique] Spanish Keyboard

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To set a keyboard to be capable of more than one language in XP, open control panel, and click on the “Regional and language options” icon. When it opens, click on the “languages” tab. Then click on the “details” button.

When the “details” window opens, click on the “add” button and follow the instructions. You can choose another language to add from a drop down list. There is ‘ “Spanish”, and “Spanish Mexico.” Adding a second keyboard language is a similar process for W95, W98, and W2000. It may be an identical process, I don’t really remember, but I have added Spanish language capabilities to my keyboards using all of those operating systems in the past.

To shift from one language to the other using XP, you must press the ALT and SHIFT keys simultaneously. Using W95, W98, or W2000, a language icon will be installed on your taskbar. You click on it to select the language you want to use.

All the letters and the comma, and period, and the numbers on a Spanish keyboard will remain the same as an English keyboard. The semi colon and colon key will change to ñ or Ñ. Most of the other punctuation mark locations will be changed or moved. There is an accent mark which only appears when the next key is struck, as In México, or, if used as an apostrophe when typing in English when the keyboard is set for Spanish, by striking the space bar, thus: ´ as in don’t.

As I am typing this, my keyboard is set for Spanish. The auto spellchecker in MS Word is going bananas. I have added the Spanish dictionary to it; it automatically switches to the language that the keyboard is set to.

Until you begin to learn the Spanish keyboard, it might be helpful to mark the Spanish characters on your keyboard with a fine tipped felt pen, if you have a light colored keyboard. Those markings will wear off in about a month if you don’t cover them with little squares of Scotch tape. Transparent language stickers are available for either black, or light colored keyboards. Do a Google search to find where to buy them if you wish.

Both my wife’s and my desktop computers have Spanish keyboards. Her OS is in Spanish, mine is in English. I have enabled both languages for both of them, and put the English markings on them. My wife leaves hers set for Spanish, I leave mine set for English. We switch the languages as needed. My laptop has a black keyboard in English so I wasn’t able to place Spanish markings on it after I enabled the Spanish language for the keyboard. It was a little confusing at first, typing in Spanish with it. It is getting easier as I am beginning to learn the Spanish keyboard.

I hope this helps, Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

(This post was edited by RexC on Nov 22, 2005, 9:20 AM)

jerezano

Nov 22, 2005, 9:35 AM

Post #7 of 27 (2603 views)

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Re: [RexC] Spanish Keyboard

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Hello Rex and others,

Of course this language change and keyboard change method works well. But then you need to mark the keyboard as Rex suggests or to learn it. As I am a touch typist from way back and also an old dog with a poor memory I find the International keyboard a lot easier to use. I don't have to remember a thing except the right alternate key and the " and ' special character problems. (Please see my previous posting just above Rex's posting for how to get to and use the International keyboard in Windows 2000) On XP, Rex has a correct description on how to find the Spanish keyboard; just substitute the International one instead.

Now as to Spanish Spell checking. If you are writing in Spanish and find that the checking is with an English dictionary, in Word 2000, just select all, go to tools and select language as Spanish (Mexico) and you will automatically switch to a Spanish dictionary. Remember that you must have added Spanish (Mexico) as an additional language even if you have your default language set as English (United States). If not you will not find the Spanish Dictionary.

I have found that the automatic language selection doesn't always work; that you must use the manual method described here.

On e mails, it is a bit more complicated. You need to change manually to a Spanish dictionary. Or at least I do with Courier 3.50.0. Nor does my Spanish spell checker work in Outlook express. I have no idea why no.

And as for changing languages, why? Just another complication.

Rex, you might want to consider the International keyboard for your laptop.

Adios. jerezano.

Marta R

Nov 22, 2005, 9:39 AM

Post #8 of 27 (2599 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Spanish Keyboard

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Jerezano's instructions worked perfectly for me when I first followed them. I also went to this site: http://www.wesleyan.edu/...kstarts/fklspan.html and printed out the page with the Spanish keyboard layout. I trimmed it to size and have it taped to the bottom of my monitor, so that when I switch from English to Spanish, I don't make myself nuts trying to remember where the apostrophe has gone to.

Marta

tonyburton / Moderator

Nov 22, 2005, 9:51 AM

Post #9 of 27 (2591 views)

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Re: [Marta Randall] Spanish Keyboard

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Oh, the hassles of using Microsoft word... better by far that you had chosen Wordperfect, so you could simply program a few macro keys to do these things for you whenever you wanted...

jennifer rose

Nov 22, 2005, 9:59 AM

Post #10 of 27 (2587 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] Spanish Keyboard

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That can be done in Word, too.

Marta R

Nov 22, 2005, 10:07 AM

Post #11 of 27 (2584 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] Spanish Keyboard

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WordPerfect = word processing program of the gods. Unfortunately, I can't use it to create emails without a number of acrobatic maneuvers. And when Chris and I travel, it's almost impossible to find an English language keyboard in Mexican Internet cafes -- so the little print-out travels with me.

Marta

Papirex

Nov 22, 2005, 10:59 AM

Post #12 of 27 (2575 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Spanish Keyboard

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Thanks for the suggestions Jerezano, I think we each find the method for typing in Spanish that we are each most comfortable with; there are several ways to do it. Like you, I am an old dog, and kind of set in my ways. I’ve been using the Spanish keyboard for so long now, that I would probably have a hell of a time learning a new method.

Without the Spanish markings on my laptop, I do have to think for a second to remember where the upside down question mark, etc. are located. I am also kind of fond of using the little circle punctuation mark denoting degrees of temperature, as in: 22° C , I know the location of that one. I wish that one was on the English keyboard.

You are right about the Spanish spellchecker in Word 2000, that is the version I use too. Sometimes it seems to have a mind of it’s own. Today it was working. It works OK for me in Outlook, I gave up on Outlook Express long ago. My wife uses the Spanish language version of Incredimail, it has a Spanish spellchecker built in to it.

Rex

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

esperanza

Nov 22, 2005, 11:24 AM

Post #13 of 27 (2567 views)

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Re: [RexC] Spanish Keyboard

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OK, RexC, you old tempter you. Where is the little degree symbol? (I use XP with Spanish enabled.)

Gracias de antemano.

Esperanza

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Papirex

Nov 22, 2005, 11:56 AM

Post #14 of 27 (2560 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Spanish Keyboard

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Esperanza, it is in the upper left hand corner of the keyboard at the end of the number row, just before the 1 key. Press the shift key and press the key as you would for upper case. °°°°°°°°°°°° I'm editing this to add that for some reason we don't need to press the shift key to print the ° with my wife's computer. Maybe it is bedause her OS is in spanish, and mine is in english. Smile

Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

(This post was edited by RexC on Nov 22, 2005, 1:45 PM)

thfarrell

Nov 22, 2005, 12:43 PM

Post #15 of 27 (2548 views)

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Re: [belgique] Spanish Keyboard

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Hi...

Buy a Mac.

Accented characters are a built-in and easy to access part of the operating system and work the same way in all programs, and always have been.

Vale la pena.

Tomás
---
"Beauty is in the i of the Beholder"
(Julia Mandelbrot)

mariejosee

Nov 22, 2005, 2:42 PM

Post #16 of 27 (2527 views)

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Re: [RexC] Spanish Keyboard

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I find you need more than one keyboard layout anyway because none is complete. I always need something like a "smaller than" symbol or a "trema" symbol (double dot), so I alternate. I made a file of each layout I use, by typing every key in lower and upper case and named them: "English layout", "Spanish layout" etc.. and they are always a couple clicks away in case I forget.

Marie-Josee

************************************************************
As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.
"Henry David Thoreau"

julian3345

Nov 22, 2005, 3:02 PM

Post #17 of 27 (2520 views)

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Re: [thfarrell] Spanish Keyboard

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Yeah! I miss my Mac everyday, but it proved to be so difficult to upgrade, repair,etc at least here in Zacatecas that I had to buy a PC loaded with Windows XP... The computer people here have never even used any APPLE product. They tell that the price point is what kept them out of Mexico. ¡lastima! Joan

johanson

Nov 22, 2005, 3:05 PM

Post #18 of 27 (2520 views)

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Re: [mariejosee] Spanish Keyboard

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Another way to get most any letter to symbol from Spanish to Latin letters is to use Msft WORD and under "INSERT" at the top of the page, drop down to symbol and choose the letter or symbol you want.

Papirex

Nov 22, 2005, 4:11 PM

Post #19 of 27 (2510 views)

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Re: [johanson] Spanish Keyboard

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Yeah, you are right Pete, I forgot about that. But of course not everyone uses Word so it might not be an option for many. It can also be time consuming for some things. One time when my son was stationed in London, I was searching for the English pound monetary sign ₤ . It was a bitch to find it You can even find the Euro sign there €. Now I don’t know what’s going on, but after using the symbols list My computer has changed to a larger font. I don’t care enough to try to find out why tonight. Unsure

Rex

Wow, the Pound sign changed to a bunch of crazy stuff when I uploaded this reply, the Euro sign remained the same.
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

(This post was edited by RexC on Nov 22, 2005, 4:14 PM)

johanson

Nov 22, 2005, 4:31 PM

Post #20 of 27 (2499 views)

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Re: [RexC] Spanish Keyboard

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You are right, Rex. The symbols chart is a pain to use. And when I tried arabic symbols to try to confuse everyone, I got those darn numbers as well.

Rolly

Nov 22, 2005, 4:41 PM

Post #21 of 27 (2494 views)

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Re: [johanson] Spanish Keyboard

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Have you tried Character Map? In my Win XP it is located in Accessories > System Tools. There you can copy the special character you want or use its ALT number.

Rolly Pirate

esperanza

Nov 22, 2005, 5:02 PM

Post #22 of 27 (2492 views)

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Re: [mariejosee] Spanish Keyboard

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Mariejosee, using the English-language Windows XP with Spanish enabled gives you both the crema (ü) and the cedilla (ç). If you press the " key and the 'u' simultaneously you are rewarded with the crema; for the cedilla, it's the " key simultaneously with the 'c'. The cedilla, of course, is only useful in French, to the best of my knowledge.

Rex, on my keyboard the key you described (to the left of the numeral 1) has the tilde for the ñ (~) and the accent grave (`). The degree symbol is nowhere to be found.

*sigh*

Thanks anyway.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

(This post was edited by esperanza on Nov 22, 2005, 5:04 PM)

johanson

Nov 22, 2005, 5:09 PM

Post #23 of 27 (2488 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Spanish Keyboard

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Yes Rolly, there it is. I had forgotten how to get there. It is very much like the symbols chart.

Your way is faster.

mariejosee

Nov 22, 2005, 6:02 PM

Post #24 of 27 (2472 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Spanish Keyboard

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Yes, thanks, but those were just examples to say that every keyboard is lacking something or other like the "smaller than" and "bigger than" symbols or the tilde cannot be used on the A as in portuguese.The cedilla is also used in portuguese by the way. Thanks to Johansen for the tip about Word < insert< symbol, I think that would be as fast as switching layouts, while in Word. The problem is, we're not always in Word. Accessing the character map is a pain in the neck if you write a lot in different languages.
Using the Spanish layout on an English keyboard should be good enough for any person wanting to write in English and Spanish. You just memorize the few differences and that's it.

Marie-Josee

************************************************************
As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.
"Henry David Thoreau"

Papirex

Nov 22, 2005, 9:17 PM

Post #25 of 27 (2448 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Spanish Keyboard

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Esperanza, the key on my keyboard is not marked the same as you describe, but when the language is set for English it prints the symbols you have described, either ` or ~ When I change the selected language to Spanish México, I get either | or °

Neither of the symbols that are printed when in Spanish mode is marked on the keyboard as it was received from the Manufacturer. My keyboard is two years old. The factory markings on it are an underlined a and an underlined o both in lower case. They never did function with those markings, although I never tried to use them before I changed my OS from Spanish to English.

The computer was manufactured inTaiwan for Texa, a Méxican brand, it came with a Spanish language keyboard, and was designed for XP. I bought it from a friend that was selling them to the school system here. It had the Spanish version of XP in it, but no OS disk was furnished as he had only one OS disk, with a multi user license. Later, I formatted the HD and loaded my own English language version of XP in it.

My wife’s Keyboard has different markings on than mine does, but it does include the temperature symbol °. Her keyboard is 7 years old. It will only print that symbol when the keyboard is set to the Spanish language though. I have upgraded her computer so many times that about the only thing left from the original computer is the keyboard, besides a new motherboard, etc. it has a Spanish version of XP in it now..

I don’t know if all this info has anything at all to do with whether or not you can print the temperature symbol °. I guess this is a long, roundabout way of asking if you had the language set to Spanish when you tried to print the ° symbol.

Rex

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

(This post was edited by RexC on Nov 22, 2005, 9:21 PM)

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