Can I substitue ascii codes for certain letters within an Excel cell?

I want to create a list using Excel in which I can substitute certain letters for the normal ones in the middle of words -- like adding accent marks or the tilde over the letter n to get the "nya" sound.

Can this be done? It won't be useful if it is a long, involved process. I'm hoping for something simple like maybe holding the Alt key down while I type an ascii code or something. Excel's help files don't offer much hope.

tanstaafl.

The standard Windows alt-ascii code trick works for me when I'm typing into an excel cell. Is that not working for you?


Remember, it must be four digits, and it must be on the numeric keypad with numlock on. For example, to type the last letter in "resumé" I have to type "resum" then hold down the left ALT key, reach over to the numeric keypad, type 0 2 3 3 then release the left ALT key.

I can also use the "Insert/Symbol" feature built into Excel as well, which is even easier and doesn't require me to know the ascii code.

You're kidding me! I just made up that alt-ascii# thing out of my head because it seemed like it would be a reasonable way to do it. I didn't actually try it!!

Hey! It works. Either I'm really smart for thinking it would be with the Alt key, or really dumb for not trying it in the first place. (I didn't guess that it would have to have the leading zero, though...)

Thanks, Tony. I owe you one. One? More like a 100 for all the help you've given me over the years.

tanstaafl.

That little trick has been around since dos days.

But I have to agree with Tony, the insert/symbol thing works easier.

And Charmap (Start → Run → charmap) is a great way to figure out what the ascii codes are for a given odd text. There are also characters in there you can't get to with just the alt-0000 combo.

You might also try AllChars or something similar. It allows you to press a particular hotkey and then two more keys to generate an accented (or otherwise not-on-your-keyboard) character. For example, if you press the hotkey, then 'n', then '~', it will generate 'ñ'. It has some limitations, but it should do what you want, and the keystrokes are a little easier to remember than ALT-0223 or whatever.

Doh! Looking at their documentation made me realize I am using a Gateway 2000 fully programmable keyboard. I can program my a-e-i-o-u-y and n keys to have the desired effects just by making macros for alt-a, alt-e etc. to substitute the alt-0225 alt-0233 etc. ascii codes.

There's still one problem unsolved, though. The code for the upside-down question mark requires a code of alt-00BF, and the "F" instead of sending the ascii code opens up the File menu (i.e., alt-F) in Excel. (I tried to put that in here and the "B" part of it opened up a bookmark menu!)

Ah! I know a workaround. Use the Insert Symbol to get that upside down question mark into the Windows clipboard and paste it whenever I need it. That'll work until I forget and stick something else in the clipboard, but if I have it saved to an unused cell somewhere on the spreadsheet it'll be easy enough to clip again. ¿Will that work? Yep! Now, what is the code for that upside down exclamation point? Got it. á é í ó ú ý ñ ¿ ¡ Ready to go now. Thank you.

tanstaafl.

BF is the hexadecimal version of the decimal number 191.

Try Alt+ 0 1 9 1

Remember that in order for the Alt+code trick to work, it must be on the NUMERIC KEYPAD. So you can't do hexadecimal numbers on the numeric keypad, so you have to do the decimal version.

In decimal, not hex. Alt-0191.

Peter

One of my favortie tricks is to put Alt-0XXX codes in my Windows password. It works to make your password complex and pretty much uncrackable. There is something fun about typing in Alt-0XXX when you are typing your password.

Darn! I had just figured that out and was hoping to get back in here and edit the post before anybody noticed!

tanstaafl.

Until you get to a site or program that defines password conventions (like USPS Click-n-Ship not allowing the same letter three times in succession, and others that only allow a-z and 0-9 characters.) I generally avoid those places whenever possible as my usual login name and password frequently violate one or both of those conventions.

tanstaafl.

I'm still amazed that the ALT-xxx trick is still the easiest way to type those characters on US/UK Windows layouts. é å î ü ø ß. Just typed all those out without having to reference a chart on OS X. They are all Alt-Letter that makes sense in most cases.

Agreed, the Mac handles that really well.