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December 19, 2008 09:46 PM

How do you make an American laptop able to write texts with special Polish characters (with diacritics)?

This laptopis equipped with American versions of Windows XP and MS Word.
Special Polish characters: ą ć ę ł ń ó ś ź ż.
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December 21, 2008 05:12 AM
The short answer is: change your keyboard layout to Polish and use alt-codes and charMap for computers where you don't have administrator privileges.

The long answer spells out how to change your layout and expands on the above:

If you are using Windows XP (for Windows Vista, see below): you can change your keyboard layout by:
1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Under Pick a category, click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options.
3. Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Regional and Language Options. The Regional and Language Options dialog box appears.
4. On the Languages tab, click Details. The Text Services and Input Languages dialog box appears.
5. Under Installed services, click Add. The Add Input language dialog box appears.
6. In the Input language list, click Polish
7. In the Keyboard layout/IME list, click Polish (214)
8. In the Default input language section of the dialog, click Polish and then click OK.
9. In the Regional and Language Options dialog box, click OK.

Notice that the Language bar appears on the taskbar. When you position the mouse pointer over it, a ToolTip appears that describes the active keyboard layout. For example, United States-International.

10. Click the Language bar, and then click Polish(214) on the shortcut menu that appears.

Now your keyboard should be able to type the diacritics as shown in http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/keyboards/kbdpl.htm

If you are using Windows Vista, you can change your keyboard layout by:
1. Installing a new language
-- a. Open Regional and Language Options by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking Clock, Language, and Region, and then clicking Regional and Language Options.
-- b. Click the Keyboards and Languages tab, and then click Change keyboards.
-- c. Under Installed services, click Add.
-- d. Double-click the language you want to add, double-click the text services you want to add, select the text services options you want to add, and then click OK.
2. Display the language bar (if it is not already displayed) right-click the taskbar, point to Toolbars, and then click Language bar.
3. On the Language bar, click the Input language button, and then select Polish as an input language.
4. On the Language bar, click the Keyboard layout button, and then the Polish keyboard layout (if there are two layouts, select the one labeled 214).

Your keyboard will now have the layout described in http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/keyboards/kbdpl.htm

-----------------

The above will give you the keyboard. For spell-checking in Word, etc, you will need to (possibly buy) and definitely install the language pack. http://Openoffice.org has a replacement, free word processor that can handle Polish.

---------------------

For quick work when you don't want to switch keyboards or you are typing on someone else's keyboard, you can use Character Map and/or the alt codes as described in the answer above. I personally have several "alt codes" memorized for use on others' computers.
Source(s):
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/52e368fa-bd32-4749-955e...

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/bc1adb60-9e03-46ab-9fcf...

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/help/765a7264-b593-4458-90cf...

http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/keyboards/kbdpl.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306560

http://projects.openoffice.org/native-lang.html

Asker's Rating:
• And what about fonts? Should I expect no trouble whatsoever with the fonts?


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December 19, 2008 09:55 PM
you can already create the character set you use though changing your keyboard layout. for full spelling install the polish language pack
Source(s):
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/suites/FX102113661033.aspx


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December 20, 2008 01:38 PM
There is a special program that comes with Windows called "Character Map", located in the Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools. Character Map displays all of the characters available in each font on your computer and provide you with 4-digit "alt" codes for characters beyond the reach of the standard keyboard. "Alt" codes are codes used in combination with holding the alt key and pressing the numbers on the number pad on the right end of the keyboard. You can also select a few characters into a text box at the bottom of the program window and copy them to the clipboard for easier use.
Source(s):
C:\Windows\System32\Charmap.exe


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