--- Forwarded Message from "Francois Crompton-Roberts" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: "Francois Crompton-Roberts" <[log in to unmask]>
>Organization: University of London
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 15:30:23 +0000
>Comments: Sender has elected to use 8-bit data in this message. If problems arise, refer to postmaster at sender's site.
>Subject: Re: #6255 umlauts,etc
>Reply-to: Francois C-R <[log in to unmask]>
>Priority: normal
>In-reply-to: <[log in to unmask]>

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> I have a faculty member whose machine was recently upgraded from W98
> to 2000.  She wants (needs!) the reappearance/reinstallation of
> keyboard functions that were installed before my time on her
> previous computer. She wants to be able to use either ALT key,
> followed by o, a, u to get ö ä ü.  Currently, ALT plus anything (in
> Word) brings up/down a menu.  Due to extreme visual impairment, she
> doesn't want an alternative keyboard layout that then replaces many
> of the keys with other (unknown) characters.  We've tried U.S.
> International, German, Dutch, etc.  All of them have various ways to
> create the characters she wants but either require too many key
> strokes (e.g., ALT + " + character or CTRL + ALT + whatever) OR
> rearrange everything else on her keyboard such that she's hopelessly
> lost.  How can I re-program her standard U.S. keyboard such that ALT
> + a = ä? T

In Word, I think the easiest would be to implement a "shortcut key" 
by pulling down the "Insert" menu and selecting "Symbol". Pick the 
"(normal text)" font (at the top of the list) and select each of the 
characters you want in turn. For each, click on the "Shortcut key" 
button and set the key combination you want. 

Make sure that the "Normal.dot" file can be updated (sometimes it 
is protected to prevent infection by macro-viruses) or you'd have to 
do this tedious task each time you restart Word! You'll be told by 
Word if that is the case. Your friendly computing service guru should 
be able to help you.



François C-R