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how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 06:44:57
by MBP
I use degrees for my winemaking and vineyard stuff. I have to spell out 'degrees' all of the time because i cannot figure out how to use a 'degrees symbol' instead Any clue how to do it? It should be a small o raised just above and to the right of the 70.

I could in old appleworks many years ago, but not in writer pro.

Thank you.

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 07:26:07
by Kino
Like “70°”? Hit shift-option-8 if you are using US keyboard layout.

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 09:04:22
by Juddbert
The <shift-option-8> combination works with a UK keyboard layout too, eg: 55°C.

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 10:41:26
by MBP
Thanks Kino - so if that is the answer - are there other things that I need to use re: various symbols? where can i find a list of all of these various symbolic gestures?

Thanks.

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 11:27:21
by Kino
MBP wrote:where can i find a list of all of these various symbolic gestures?
If you don't have Keyboard Viewer in the menubar, enable it in System Preferences → Language & Text → Input Sources or, in OS X 10.5 and earlier, in International → Input Menu). Then, when you launch it from the menubar, you can see what key combinations are assigned to what characters by hitting option or shift-option.

Or perhaps these image files might be easier to consult:
US_Option.jpg
US_Option.jpg (87.26 KiB) Viewed 12332 times
US_ShiftOption.jpg
US_ShiftOption.jpg (84.83 KiB) Viewed 12330 times
Key combinations with orange background, i.e. option-`, option-e, option-u, option-i, and option-n, are dead keys. For example, you can enter à by hitting option-` followed by a.

Also, it would be a very bad idea to enter ligatured “fi” and ”fl” by option-shift-5 and option-shift-6: those key combinations are still available just to make OS X keyboard layouts compatible with the corresponding legacy Mac OS keyboard layouts. That’s all and there is absolutely no need to enter those characters directly when you are using ordinary OS X programs. The standard Cocoa text system displays "fi" and "fl" with ligatured glyphs automatically.

Edit: added “For example” and what follows.

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 11:42:23
by MBP
wow!!! thanks - let me check this out later today and get back to you - much appreciated!!!! I am 10.4

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 16:41:31
by MBP
I do not not see the language and texts in system preferences. Where should i look?

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 17:19:34
by martin
You're on OSX 10.4, so as Kino mentioned you'll need to look under the "International" preferences pane, click the "Input Menu" tab, and then enable the Keyboard Viewer.

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 17:23:39
by xiamenese
MBP wrote:I do not not see the language and texts in system preferences. Where should i look?
As Kino said, System Preferences --> International --> Input Menu. If you check down the list of options under that you'll find it ... have it ticked. Then, somewhere on the right of the menu bar, you'll find a "Flag" menu, showing the language currently set. In that menu, one of the selections is "Keyboard Viewer" (though it might be called something different under 10.4).

Mark

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 18:12:42
by MBP
Ok - but another question - by checking it - what does it do or how do you view it? thanks for all of the help.

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-01 19:00:54
by Kino
You have to check Show input menu in menu bar in the System Pref., too. Then, Keyboard Viewer (like the screen shots above) appears when you enable it from the Flag menu on the menubar.
Here is Apple’s step-by-step guide.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA22403

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-02 04:19:57
by MBP
thank you!

Re: how to get 'degree's into the symbol

Posted: 2010-03-02 12:37:39
by rmark
For what it's worth, and it does not cost any more, I prefer to use the U.S. Extended Keyboard as this offers many more possibilities when pressing the OPTION key.
This is illustrated and explained on page 377 (Figure 337) "Enter a Character Using the Keyboard" in the Nisus Writer Pro 1.4 User's Guide. Which you can download here:
http://nisus.com/files/GetFileRedirect. ... erProGuide