Keyboard dumb question

[TOFDOR]

My wife just purchased a G60 laptop and we cannot figure out how to type the "blue" characters on the keyboard. For example the question mark.

I have tried using the control, alternate and function keys but they don't seem to have any effect.

[jorgebarajas]

have you tried holding the shift key and then pressing the symbol because 80% of the computers you can do it this way.

anyway i will look it up and reply to you later. ok      ????

[TOFDOR]

The shift key only gives you the "uppercase" symbol. There are some keys with four different characters on them. For example, the "3" key has the digit 3, the UK pound symbol , the forward slash /  and the number # symbol. I can get the number and the digit but not the slash or pound.

There are other keys this way and the frustrating one is the question mark. It's one of the extra symbols.

I'll appreciate any help.

[gfbest]

Did anyone ever answer the question about accessing the blue characters?

[angermeyer65]

Hi, I have been stuck in the Blue Character mode so I have been searching the web for answers and this has helped me. Hope it helps you.

Re: How to use blue symbols on HP laptop keyboard

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I found the solution.
When you have the é is because you accidentally activated the weird symbols mode. It's activated by pressing Ctrl+fn+right Shift. To deactivate, press Ctrl+fn+right Shift twice, meaning Ctrl+fn+right Shift then let go of Shift while still holding Ctrl and fn, then press Shift again.
It took me 15 mins of methodical button pressing to figure this out.

[slippynut]

Does the character settings have something to do with this?

[HaggisCat]

I believe the blue characters on the key board are available on Canadian models. To access them go to Control panel and choose Icon view. Find Region and Language and in the heading bar choose "Keyboards and Languages" and then change key boards. Click add_from the list find French Canadian or Canadian Multilingual Standard.

 I can't remember which one will allow you to access the blue symbols, but it may be both. Ounce one of them is chosen I think you have to hold down ctrl-fn-alt all at ounce to access them. You may also try the shift key again or any number of combinations, but the trick is to change the key board.

 Here is a useful guide to access other symbols that may not appear on the keys.

 http://kb.iu.edu/data/aihp.html

 Here are some others

Copyright (©) is Alt, 0, 1, 6, 9

Trademark (™) is Alt, 0, 1, 5, 3

Registered (®) is Alt, 0, 1, 7, 4

Bullet (•) is Alt, 0, 1, 4, 9

Ellipsis (...) is Alt, 0, 1, 3, 3

"EN" Dash (–) is Alt, 0, 1, 5, 0

"EM" Dash (—) is Alt, 0, 1, 5, 1

Pound (£) is Alt 0, 1, 6, 3

Cents (¢) is Alt, 0, 1, 6, 2

One-half (½) is Alt, 0, 1, 8, 9

French accent (à) is Alt, 0, 2, 2, 4

French accent (ç) is Alt, 0, 2, 3, 1

French accent (è) is Alt, 0, 2, 3, 2

French accent (é) is Alt, 0, 2, 3, 3

French accent (ê) is Alt, 0, 2, 3, 4

German accent (ü) is Alt, 0, 2, 5, 2

Spanish accent (ñ) is Alt, 0, 2, 4, 1

 http://www.newradiance.com/keyboardbulletsandsymbols.htm

 http://www.alt-codes.net/

[cefoxtrot]

Ctrl + Shift will toggle the character set, going from French to regular, etc. Give it a try and please post results.

Good luck!

[cefoxtrot]

To clarify my previous posting:

Ctrl + Shift will toggle you to the french keys and vice versa. Once in french mode, use the Fn + blue character key to get the blue characters.

[Daniel-G]

Me personally I've looked high and low for the solution, but I didn't find it on the internet (surprise). The correct procedure is as follows. The blue symbols will be on your keyboard if it was bought in Canada, as they are extra character support for french. You need to understand the layout of the keys first. Take a key with multiple symbols on it, like the \ key for example. on it is

 ¦   >   the \ and ¦ (which appears as | ) are part of the normal US set.

 \ } <    while the < > are the regular character on the Canadian French setting ( in language and keyboard options )now the last character } is part of an entirely different set, same one as £ and ¢ and ¤ however. It can be accessed by being in the Canadian French setting and using the "Alt Gr" key, the right alt key.
alt gr + o = §

alt gr + p = ¶

Necro-post, but at least this problem is finally solved