# US laptop keyboard & Irish/English config



## ClubMan (14 May 2005)

I have a laptop purchased in the _US _which has a _US _keyboard layout. This includes keys for characters such as tilde (~), hash (#), backslash (\), forward slash (/) etc. which are often used when coding. I can switch to _Irish/English _keyboard layout (even on the fly using the _Windows Language Bar _and _Left Alt + Shift_) so that I can use the layout that I am more familiar with (even if it means that some keystrokes don't match up with the decals on the keys - e.g. _US/English: Shift+2 = @; Irish/English: Shift+2 = "_). However when I am in _Irish/English _mode I can't find any keystrokes for some of the characters mentioned above (~, #, /, \ etc.). Is there any way to access these characters in _Irish/English _mode on a _US _laptop keyboard without having to dynamically switch between _US/English _and _Irish/English_?

I have also tried the on-screen keyboard to see if the characters above are available in _Irish/English _mode but to no avail. I don't really want to use an external keyboard either.

Any ideas?


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## MOFFY01 (16 May 2005)

did you try change the regional settings on the control panel?


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## ClubMan (16 May 2005)

Yes, the regional settings are correctly set for Ireland, in particular those affecting the language and keyboard setup. The problem is that some characters such as the ones I mentioned above are not obviously readily available under the _EN English (Ireland) _setting. I am still relying on using _Left Alt + Shift _to dynamically switch between _EN English (Ireland) _and _EN English (United States) _as required but it's a bit of a pain.


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## MonsieurBond (16 May 2005)

Clubman, is [broken link removed] Microsoft link of any use to you?

It shows you images of the keyboard layouts for all keyboards.

(Link only works in _IE _unfortunately, being Microsoft.)


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## ClubMan (16 May 2005)

Thanks - unfortunately no easily accessible backslash in _Irish _mode. Oh well - guess I'll have to stick with _Left Alt + Shift _for dynamically switching between keyboard/language settings.


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## MonsieurBond (16 May 2005)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> Thanks - unfortunately no easily accessible backslash in _Irish _mode. Oh well - guess I'll have to stick with _Left Alt + Shift _for dynamically switching between keyboard/language settings.



My IBM Laptop has an extra key containing a backslash / divider (pipe symbol) between the Shift and Z keys. Pressing shift-backslash generates the divider char "|".

Don't suppose you have a divider key on the keyboard that you can try Shifting?


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## ClubMan (16 May 2005)

It's a Sony Vaio PCG-K23. I have a backslash (\) (pipe | when shifted) key between the ]/} and _Page Up _keys on the right had side of the row of keys down from the digit row. In _EN English (United States) _mode this generates \ (| when shifted). In _EN English (Ireland) _mode this generates # (~ when shifted). There is no key between the Z and the left _Shift_ keys.


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## LexLuthor (16 May 2005)

>>This includes keys for characters such as tilde (~), hash (#), backslash (\), forward slash (/) etc. which are often used when coding
Most coding environments allow you to set up macro + key combinations. Maybe you could write a few short macros?


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## ClubMan (16 May 2005)

Seems like overkill just to get a few individual characters? I guess I'll stick to switching between _EN English (Ireland) _(e.g. when writing text) and _EN English (United States) _(e.g. when writing code) using _Left Alt + Shift _as required


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