02-22-2012, 11:02 AM

I learned that option-shift-k produces the Apple logo . How do I produce the symbol on the "command" key? Same with the symbol used for "shift", "option" and "control".

OS X 10.7.3

02-22-2012, 12:12 PM

Something to get you started:

100-mac-keyboard-shortcuts-for-creating-symbols

- Nick

02-22-2012, 12:40 PM

I don't know if there is a way to do the symbols you are wanting from the keyboard, but here a few of the more commonly used ones

option+shift+k =  Apple Symbol
Jbs

option+k = ˚ Degree Symbol
95˚

Option + Shift + 8 = ° Larger Degree Symbol
95°

Option + 4 = ¢ Cents
25¢

option+v = √ Check Mark
√

Option + g = © Copyright
©

Option + r = ® Registered Trademark
®

Option + 2 = ™ Trademark
™

and here are the Symbols you want. You can copy and paste and the will act like font characters.
⌘ = command
⌃ = control
⌥ = option
⇧ = shift
⇪ = caps lock
⇥ = Tab Key
⎋ = Escape Key
⏏ = Eject Key
⌫ = delete (the one above the return key)
⌦ = forward delete (the one in the page up/down/home/end cluster)
⌧ = clear (???)
⏎ = return

Maybe this will work till someone comes along with the real answer.

02-22-2012, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Pomeroy

<snip>

Maybe this will work till someone comes along with the real answer.

The real answer was posted 28 minutes before yours.

02-22-2012, 01:15 PM

Really?! The link Nick posted doesn't contain any of the shortcuts the OP wants.

02-22-2012, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckoir

Really?! The link Nick posted doesn't contain any of the shortcuts the OP wants.

Ooops. Heh heh.

I was about to post a link to a widget I use, but it doesn't have the COMMAND character either. Hmmmm… I'll dig around for one later. Surely there is one.

02-22-2012, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckoir

Really?! The link Nick posted doesn't contain any of the shortcuts the OP wants.

Hey...I thought the OP wanted to know how to type many of the key-combo "special symbols"...not key-combo short-cuts.

Maybe I misread or misinterpreted the OP's post.

The thread title says..."How to type special characters?"

- Nick

02-23-2012, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

Hey...I thought the OP wanted to know how to type many of the key-combo "special symbols"...not key-combo short-cuts.

Maybe I misread or misinterpreted the OP's post.

The thread title says..."How to type special characters?"

- Nick

Yes, it is the symbols I wanted. That's why I gave the example of the Apple icon that I already know.

It seems that I will have to cut and paste to achieve say the command symbol, ie. ⌘.

There must be keystrokes to do this, however, but what are they?

02-23-2012, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by beamon

Yes, it is the symbols I wanted. That's why I gave the example of the Apple icon that I already know.

It seems that I will have to cut and paste to achieve say the command symbol, ie. ⌘.

There must be keystrokes to do this, however, but what are they?

I dug up some instructions on how to do this. Man this is obscure! Ok, here we go….

Open System Preferences » Language & Text » Input Sources

Enable the Unicode Hex Input keyboard from the list on the left. You'll now have an item in the menu bar from which you can select the US keyboard you normally use (or whichever layout you use for your country) or the Unicode keyboard.

With the Unicode input selected, you can now generate the COMMAND symbol (properly known as the Bowen knot) by holding down the OPTION key and typing 2318. The ⌘ symbol will pop as soon as you tap the last number.

Bear in mind that switching to the Unicode input will break many of the "normal" keyboard shortcuts for OS X. Ex: pressing OPTION-2 normally gives ™. Apple has "curated" a short list of unicode symbols for regular use in OS X that only require 2 keys in that manner, but at the expense of quick access to every available unicode character. Switching to the Unicode Input keyboard layout gets past that, but you do have to know the unicode for each and every symbol, or have a chart handy.

02-23-2012, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by lifeisabeach

I dug up some instructions on how to do this. Man this is obscure! Ok, here we go….

Open System Preferences » Language & Text » Input Sources

Enable the Unicode Hex Input keyboard from the list on the left. You'll now have an item in the menu bar from which you can select the US keyboard you normally use (or whichever layout you use for your country) or the Unicode keyboard.

With the Unicode input selected, you can now generate the COMMAND symbol (properly known as the Bowen knot) by holding down the OPTION key and typing 2318. The ⌘ symbol will pop as soon as you tap the last number.

Bear in mind that switching to the Unicode input will break many of the "normal" keyboard shortcuts for OS X. Ex: pressing OPTION-2 normally gives ™. Apple has "curated" a short list of unicode symbols for regular use in OS X that only require 2 keys in that manner, but at the expense of quick access to every available unicode character. Switching to the Unicode Input keyboard layout gets past that, but you do have to know the unicode for each and every symbol, or have a chart handy.

Many thanks for your research, lifeisabeach. My menu bar now has the Unicode Hex option and that allows me the Bowen Knot. Any thoughts on how to do the other three? I don't find them in the Unicode Hex chart that I found.

02-23-2012, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by beamon

Many thanks for your research, lifeisabeach. My menu bar now has the Unicode Hex option and that allows me the Bowen Knot. Any thoughts on how to do the other three? I don't find them in the Unicode Hex chart that I found.

Command, Option, & Shift Symbols in Unicode

⌘ – &#x2318; – ⌘ – the Command Key symbol
⌥ – &#x2325; – ⌥ – the Option Key symbol
⇧ – &#x21E7; – ⇧ – the Shift Key symbol
⎋ – &#x238B; – ⎋ – the ESC Key symbol

Ignore the first 3 characters &#x and the second set of characters on that page. And do use the letter for those that have a letter in place of a number.

Oh I get it now. The second set of characters is HTML code. When you enter that in a page, they get auto-translated to the key, which happened here in my post when I pasted it.

02-23-2012, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by lifeisabeach

Command, Option, & Shift Symbols in Unicode

⌘ – &#x2318; – ⌘ – the Command Key symbol
⌥ – &#x2325; – ⌥ – the Option Key symbol
⇧ – &#x21E7; – ⇧ – the Shift Key symbol
⎋ – &#x238B; – ⎋ – the ESC Key symbol

Ignore the first 3 characters &#x and the second set of characters on that page. And do use the letter for those that have a letter in place of a number.

Oh I get it now. The second set of characters is HTML code. When you enter that in a page, they get auto-translated to the key, which happened here in my post when I pasted it.

Got it all squared away. Have them set up as "Favorites" in my "Character Viewer".

⇧ ↵ ⌘ ⌥ ⌃

Thanks again