PPT4: Help Topic Incorrect for Inserting Special Characters
  
PSS ID Number: Q131263
Article last modified on 05-16-1998
 
windows:4.0,4.0a,4.0c; macintosh:4.0
 
MACINTOSH WINDOWS
 

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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft PowerPoint for the Macintosh, version 4.0
 - Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a and 4.0c
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SUMMARY
=======
 
Microsoft PowerPoint 4.0 Help (Windows and Macintosh versions) suggests a
method to insert a special character onto a slide. The suggestion for the
Macintosh version is incorrect. The Help file suggests that you choose Copy
from the Edit menu while the Bullet dialog box is on the screen. This can't
be done, as this is not a function of the Bullet dialog box.
 
Note also that the similar suggestion for the Windows version could use
some clarification.
 
For correct information about inserting a special character into a
PowerPoint 4.x presentation, see the appropriate section for your version
of PowerPoint in the "More Information" section of this article.
 
MORE INFORMATION
================
 
If You Are Using PowerPoint for the Macintosh
----------------------------------------------
 
There are two ways to insert a special character into your presentation:
use the Apple Key Caps program or copy the character from another document.
To use the Apple Key Caps program:
 
1. On the Apple menu, click Key Caps.
 
2. On the Key Caps menu, click the font that contains the character you
   want.
 
3. Press different combinations of the OPTION and SHIFT keys until the
   desired character appears on the keyboard layout. For example, you can
   get an upside-down question mark by pressing SHIFT+OPTION+/.
 
4. Click the desired character, and it will be placed in the Key Caps
   window. Highlight the character then copy it, either by clicking Copy
   on the Edit menu or by pressing COMMAND+C.
 
5. Close Key Caps, then paste the character into your text frame. You may
   have to highlight the character and change its font if the font of the
   text frame is different than that of the desired character.
 
NOTE: You can also memorize the keystrokes you need to get the desired
symbol. Thus, anytime you want to have an upside down question mark you
can press SHIFT+OPTION+/.
 
If You Are Using PowerPoint for Windows
---------------------------------------
 
1. From the Help menu, choose About Microsoft PowerPoint.
 
2. In the About Microsoft PowerPoint dialog box, choose the System Info
   Button.
 
3. In the Microsoft System Info dialog box, choose the Run button.
 
4. In the Run Application dialog, box choose the Other button, and then
   type CHARMAP and then choose the OK button to start the character map
   utility.
 
5. Select the symbol you want by double-clicking it, and then choose the
   Copy button.
 
6. Return to PowerPoint, and, from the Edit menu, choose Paste to insert
the symbol into your presentation.
 
A note of caution concerning step 6: the font selected for the special
character has to match the font selected in PowerPoint during the Paste
procedure. One shortcut to copying and pasting is to note the keystroke
combination at the bottom-right corner of the character map's interface
while selecting the special character. You can then apply that same
character by simply selecting the font and typing in the keystroke
combination.
 
For more information on special character keystroke combinations, please
see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
 
   ARTICLE-ID: Q136663
   TITLE     : PPT: How to Add Accented Characters to PowerPoint Slides
 
Additional query words: 4.00 4.00a 4.00c  macsys macppt
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Keywords          : kbdocerr kbhelpfile kbdta
Version           : windows:4.0,4.0a,4.0c; macintosh:4.0
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Hardware          : MAC x86
Issue type        : kbinfo
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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.