[macnext1]

My wife would like to use some of the alternate key (numeric keypad) symbols but they don't seem to respond the same all the time. For example, an alt 3 should produce a heart (♥) as seen here. However, when I try this elsewhere it will probably get a (?) instead. I "assume" that the software where she is trying to do this, (typically a poker site) has remapped the alternate keys for something else.

1. Is that a valid assumtion?

2. Is there someway to override and set the alternate keys back to the default?

As always, thanks in advance for any help/comments.

Mac

[wladicus]

Hi Mac,
I have come across the same situation.
I think it has to do with the code sets employed on the keyboard mapping and the way the code is translated on a particular editor.
For example, I tried the following to see what happens:
I opened Notepad and typed the Alt-key characters: ☺ ☻ ♥ ♦ ♣ ♠ • using font type Arial.
Then I changed to Wingding font or Webding font and keyed in a row from the keyboard. While the Wingding/Webding characters showed up fine, the Alt-key characters had changed to small rectangles. In fact if I save the file with Alt-key characters only (they are saved in ANSI code - which is the standard) the Alt-key characters disappear. You have to save the file in Unicode to preserve the Alt-key characters. That sort of shows that code sets of different sorts are involved and the type of editor and the code that it saves in will determine if your Alt-key characters are displayed.
Another alternative might be to paste characters from .jpg files as shown below:

[macnext1]

Walt, Thanks for the reply. I tried doing a copy/paste but none of the sites where she goes allows a paste (the right click on the mouse is defined as something else). One of the sites will allow the alt key to show up when she keys it in but when she hits enter her typing disappears and is not visible to the other players. My guess would be that "they" have redefined the keyboard OR they run the chat "stuff" through a filter (probably the later since she can see what she types).

[Albert Lionheart]

Maybe a simple country change would get the keyboard to work with the site?

[macnext1]

Albert, Thanks. Keyboard country change might do the trick. How do you do that?

[Albert Lionheart]

It is a long shot! in XP, Start > Control Panel > Regional & Language Options and try changing them - remember what they were before you do that, tho!

[Rik]

If that has no effect, the computer could be infected. I suggest you go through the malware removal instructions then start a new thread in the malware removal forum and post the requested logs.