[ubuntu-za] Special characters (compose key)

[CM Schoonbee]

That's so easy!  It works like a charm 'out of the box'. I just had to 
be told the correct compose key - thanks for that.

I had already tried the 'normal' left alt key.  I did not realise that 
the left and right alt keys are treated as distinct.

What do you mean the special character comes through as '?' from the 
mailing list - I see the é (see, I can do it too now :-) ) just fine in 
your name in the mailing list emails.  I am using Thunderbird.  Or did I 
misunderstand you?

Regards,
Chris

Péter Nel wrote:
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> The special character (e-acute-accent) comes through as '?' when
> arriving from the mailing-list (i guess it's because mail used to only
> understand ascii, perhaps the list server isn't configured to process
> those characters correctly..
>
> The default way in ubuntu is to use the "compose" key, I think the
> default key is GrAlt (right alt); e.g.:
> <compose> ' e
>    := é (e-acute)
> <compose> <shift-6> e
>   := <compose> ^ e
>   := ê (e-circumflex)
> <compose> a e := æ (ae)
> <compose> <shift-'> <shift-A>
>    := <compose> " A
>    :=  Ä (capital A with diaeresis/umlaut)
>
> ... easy!
>
> See complete list here: http://hermit.org/Linux/ComposeKeys.html
>
> Mine is custom set to rwin (right 'windows' key).
>
> If didn't work out-of-the-box, it used to be specified in
> /etc/X11/xorg.conf. My current entry is..
> # commented out by update-manager, HAL is now used
> #Section "InputDevice"
> #    Identifier    "Generic Keyboard"
> #    Driver        "kbd"
> #    Option        "XkbRules"    "xorg"
> #    Option        "XkbModel"    "pc104"
> #    Option        "XkbLayout"    "us"
> #    Option       "XkbOptions"     "compose:rwin"
> #EndSection
>
> ..the "XkbOptions" line. As the comment says, HAL is now being used
> (since intrepid), and that setting doesn't work anymore...
> The 8.10 release notes
> (http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/810#X.Org%20Input%20Devices)
> states
> the input device settings moved to /etc/default/console-setup; near
> the end of mine (i think I had to modify this manually back then) I've
> got:
> ...
> # The following variables describe your keyboard and can have the same
> # values as the XkbModel, XkbLayout, XkbVariant and XkbOptions options
> # in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.
> XKBMODEL="pc104"
> XKBLAYOUT="us"
> XKBVARIANT=""
> XKBOPTIONS="lv3:ralt_switch,compose:rwin"
> ...
>
> I think you need to run
> $ sudo dpkg-reconfigure console-setup
> to change it.
>
> Then you need to restart X & HAL (i.e. reboot system)
>
> Hope it helps.
>
>
>
> PS This is why I love this OS - the above is the crystallized form of
> hours worth of effort getting mine to work.. he he
>
> PPS What can be done to fix the character sent out by the mailing
> list? Anyone?
>
> Péter Nel
> _______________________________________________
> "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security,
> deserve neither liberty nor security"
>            - Benjamin Franklin
>
>
>
> CM Schoonbee wrote:
>   
>> Hi Peter,
>>
>>
>> Looking through your info, I can find nothing that looks relevant
>> in common between our systems (except the Realtek ethernet
>> controller!).  So this may be a fairly common problem with default
>> installs.
>>
>> Cheers, Chris
>>
>> PS How do you create the special character in your first name in an
>>  email?
>>
>>     
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> iEYEARECAAYFAkluG4kACgkQVeyk97gakq4vnwCeI6mC+sFIBCFuZ6s1YWvijBNI
> oXoAoI/hD/jcfG+wQhAaeQRSCqJZFfgi
> =xXRQ
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>