NationMaster - Encyclopedia: AltGr key

AltGr is a modifier key on PC keyboards used to type many characters, primarily ones that are unusual for the locale of the keyboard layout, such as foreign currency symbols and accented letters. If a key has a third symbol on it (on the front vertical face or the bottom right of the key top, sometimes in a different colour), then AltGr can often be used to type that symbol. In computing, a modifier key is a special key on a computer keyboard that modifies the normal action of another key when the two are pressed in combination. ... Apple Macintoshes like the iMac Core Duo are personal computers. ... A computer keyboard is a peripheral partially modeled after the typewriter keyboard. ... Computers and other typing devices offer many different keyboard layouts for inputting data in different languages. ...

Meaning

IBM states that AltGr is an abbreviation for "alternate graphic" [1] [2]. The meaning of the key's abbreviation is not explicitly given in many IBM PC compatible technical reference manuals. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

History

Originally, US PC keyboards (specifically: the US 101-key PC/AT keyboards) did not have an AltGr key, it being relevant to only non-US markets; they simply had "left" and "right" Alt keys. As those using such US keyboards increasingly needed the specific functionality of AltGr when typing non-English text, Windows began to allow all keystroke combinations involving AltGr to be typed by using Ctrl+Alt in its place. Therefore, it is recommended that Ctrl-Alt not be used as a modifier in Windows keyboard shortcuts as, depending on the keyboard layout and configuration, someone trying to type a special character with Ctrl-Alt may accidentally trigger the shortcut [3], or the keypresses for the shortcut may be inadvertently interpreted as the user trying to input a special character. The Alt key on a modern Windows keyboard The Alt key on an IBM PC keyboard is the key located immediately to either side of the Space bar, used to change (alternate) the function of other pressed keys. ... Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary software operating systems by Microsoft. ...

Function

The function and usage of AltGr vary according to the exact keyboard layout, which in turn varies according to both the locale and the operating system. On German keyboards it is used to type the symbols {, [, ], and }, which are commonly used by programmers and technical writers. An operating system (OS) is a set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software resources of a computer. ...

On those keyboard layouts having a defined AltGr key, it is equivalent to holding down the Ctrl and Alt keys together, which means many Microsoft Windows keyboard shortcuts (for example, shortcuts to icons in Windows Explorer) can be operated using only one hand from either side of the keyboard. However, AltGr + Del does not function as Ctrl-Alt-Del does. Model showing the current redevelopment of the Kings Cross area with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link terminal behind the barrel vaulted St Pancras Station on the left. ... The Alt key on a modern Windows keyboard The Alt key on an IBM PC keyboard is the key located immediately to either side of the Space bar, used to change (alternate) the function of other pressed keys. ... Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary software operating systems by Microsoft. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Windows Shell. ...

Finally, AltGr also provides access to special keyboard characters such as the Euro symbol. Methods for keyboarding the euro sign (â‚¬) are dependent on the computer being used and on the keyboard attached to it. ...

International keyboard layouts

US international

On US international keyboard layouts, the AltGr key can be used to enter the following characters: Image File history File links KB_US-International. ... Image File history File links KB_US-International. ...

For comparison, the US international keyboard layout follows. Note that the "`/~" key has been omitted; it does not react to the AltGr key.

"m" denotes the "Macro" key. It generally produces a "", although applications receive a different keycode and can therefore instead use the key to for example run macros.

In Microsoft Windows, the functionality of AltGr is also available via Ctrl+Alt. This is useful in case the keyboard is not able to differentiate between the Alt key on the left and the AltGr key on the right. Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary software operating systems by Microsoft. ...

In UK keyboard layouts, the only two symbols printed on most keyboards which require the AltGr key are:

The two latter symbols interchange places in UK keyboards according to the operating system in use. In OS/2, the "UK keyboard layout" (specifically: the UK166 layout) requires AltGr for the vertical bar and the broken vertical bar is a shifted key — which, coincidentally, matches the actual symbols that are printed on most UK keyboards; in Windows, the "UK keyboard layout" requires AltGr for the broken vertical bar and the vertical bar is a shifted key — the converse of what is usually printed on the keys; and in Linux, the "UK keyboard layout" does not have a simple keystroke combination for the broken vertical bar at all, producing the vertical bar for both key combinations. For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation) or EUR (disambiguation). ... Vertical bar, verti-bar, vertical line, divider line, or pipe is the name of the character (|). Broken bar (Â¦) is a separate character. ... An operating system (OS) is a set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software resources of a computer. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary software operating systems by Microsoft. ... Linux (IPA pronunciation: ) is a Unix-like computer operating system family. ...

Using the AltGr key on UK keyboards in some versions of Windows (for example XP) in combination with vowel characters produces acute accents over the vowels (for example, á,é,í,ó,ú and Á,É,Í,Ó,Ú). Windows XP is a line of proprietary operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on general-purpose computer systems, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, and media centers. ... Note: This page contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ... The acute accent ( ) is a diacritic mark used in many modern written languages with alphabets based on the Latin and Greek scripts. ...

The free 'To Bach' utility written by Draig Technology uses the AltGr key to enter accented Welsh language vowels (â, ê, î, ô, û, ŷ, ŵ) using a standard UK keyboard.

Polish

Traditionally typewriters in Poland used a QWERTZ layout specifically designed for Polish language with accentuated characters obtainable directly. However, during the initial adoption of personal computers in the 80's, due to politics of the communist regime most of these machines didn't come from commercial import channels, rather being brought or sent by private persons from foreign countries. Most of these had US keyboards; various methods were devised to make it possible to enter special Polish characters. An established method was to use AltGr in combination with a Latin letter to obtain the accentuated variant, with a single exception of using AltGr+X to obtain ź (as AltGr+Z is used for ż). The QWERTZ keyboard layout The QWERTZ keyboard is a computer and typewriter keyboard that is normally used in German-speaking regions. ... Polish (jÄ™zyk polski, polszczyzna) is the official language of Poland. ... The Polish alphabet is the script of the Polish language. ... The acute accent ( Â´ ) is a diacritic mark used in many modern written languages with alphabets based on the Latin script. ... When used as a diacritic mark, the term dot is usually reserved for the middle dot Â·, or to the glyphs combining dot above Ì‡ and combining dot below Ì£ which may be combined with some letters of the extended Latin alphabets in use in Eastern European languages and Vietnamese. ...

At the time of the political transformation and opening of commercial import channels this practice was so common and widespread that the commerce quickly codified this practice. Nowadays most people in Poland use standard US-layout keyboards, using the AltGr method of entering Polish characters. This layout is sometimes referred to as Polish programmers' layout (klawiatura polska programisty), although more often it's just called the Polish layout. The rise of Gorbachev Although reform stalled between 1964–1982, the generational shift gave new momentum for reform. ...

The traditional typewriter layout is rarely if ever used on computer keyboards, mostly by professional typists (and most typewriters still do use this layout). That said, it's still available in most operating systems and usually called Polish typists' layout (klawiatura polska maszynistki); getting an actual keyboard in this layout can be very troublesome. Some older Polish versions of Microsoft Windows used this layout as the default layout and called it just Polish layout. Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary software operating systems by Microsoft. ...

X Window System

In the X Window System, AltGr can be used to produce additional characters with almost every key in the keyboard. For example, in the Danish keymap, AltGr+Shift+Q produces Ω, AltGr[+Shift]+O produces ø/Ø, AltGr+M produces µ, and so on. With some keys, AltGr produces a dead key; for example on a UK keyboard AltGr+; produces a combining acute accent, thus AltGr+; followed by e produces é. KDE 3. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Combining character. ... Computers and other typing devices offer many different keyboard layouts for inputting data in different languages. ...

Modified keys tables

Danish keymap

Brazilian ABNT2 keymap

See also

Category: Computer keys Computers and other typing devices offer many different keyboard layouts for inputting data in different languages. ... In computing, a modifier key is a special key on a computer keyboard that modifies the normal action of another key when the two are pressed in combination. ... The Alt key on a modern Windows keyboard The Alt key on an IBM PC keyboard is the key located immediately to either side of the Space bar, used to change (alternate) the function of other pressed keys. ... A computer keyboard is a peripheral partially modeled after the typewriter keyboard. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Combining character. ... The compose key and compose LED on a Sun Type 5c keyboard is the second-last key on the bottom row On some computer systems, a compose key is a key which is designated to signal the software to interpret the next keystrokes as a combination in order to produce... In computing, a modifier key is a special key on a computer keyboard that modifies the normal action of another key when the two are pressed in combination. ... A Control key (marked Ctrl) on a modern Windows keyboard In computing, a Control key is a key, which when pressed in conjunction with another key, will perform a special operation. ... The shift key on a modern Windows keyboard The shift key is a modifier key on a keyboard, used to type capital letters and other alternate upper characters. ... The Alt key on a modern Windows keyboard The Alt key on an IBM PC keyboard is the key located immediately to either side of the Space bar, used to change (alternate) the function of other pressed keys. ... The Option key The Option key, known to latent PC users as Alt key, is a modifier key present on Apple keyboards. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Command key The Command key, known as the open-Apple key in documentation previous to the Apple Macintosh family of computers, is a modifier key present on Apple keyboards. ... The Meta key was a special key on old MIT computer keyboards. ... The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private, coeducational research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ... A Windows key on a black laptop keyboard The Windows key or Windows logo key (in short WinKey, or rarely Flag key) is a keyboard key originally introduced for the Windows 95 operating system. ... Fn key can also refer to the function keys on a computer keyboard. ... Computers and other typing devices offer many different keyboard layouts for inputting data in different languages. ... Lock is a function that locks part of the keyboard keys depending on the lock settings selected. ... Scroll lock is a key (with an associated status light) on most modern computer keyboards. ... Num Lock is a key on the numeric keypad of most keyboards, used to switch that pad between number entry and arrow keys. ... The caps lock on a modern Windows keyboard. ... The shift key on a modern Windows keyboard The shift key is a modifier key on a keyboard, used to type capital letters and other alternate upper characters. ... Arrow keys Arrow keys are buttons on a computer keyboard that move the cursor in a specified direction. ... The page scroll keys among other keys The page scroll keys are two keys commonly found on computer keyboards, the page up key and the page down key. ... The home key among other keys The home key is a key commonly found on computer keyboards. ... The end key among other keys The end key is a key commonly found on computer keyboards. ... Originally, carriage return was the term for the key, lever, or mechanism on a typewriter that would cause the cylinder on which the paper was held (the carriage) to return to the left side of the paper after a line of text had been typed, and would often move it... The enter key (or return key) causes a form or dialog box to operate its default function, which is typically to finish an entry and begin the obviously desired process. ... Backspace is the keyboard key that originally pushed the typewriter head one position backwards, and in modern computer displays moves the cursor one position backwards and deletes the preceding character. ... The Insert key (often abbreviated to INS) commonly found on keyboards is mostly used to switch between the two main modes of entering text on a computer. ... The user pressing the delete key on a Macintosh On computer keyboards, the delete key (sometimes shortened Del), should, during normal text editing, discard the character at the cursors position, moving all following characters one position back towards the freed place. ... This article is about the use of the term Tab in computing. ... A computer keyboard Space bar is a key on an alphanumeric keyboard in the form of a horizontal bar in the lowermost row, significantly wider than other keys. ... SysRq or SysReq (short for System Request) is a key on keyboards for PCs that has no standard use. ... A 102-key PC US English keyboard layout with the print screen key marked in red. ... Break/Pause key on PC keyboard The break key is a special key on computer keyboards that no longer has a well-defined purpose. ... A computer keyboard. ... In computing, the Menu key is a key found on Windows-oriented computer keyboards. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... A function key is a key on a computer or terminal keyboard which can be programmed so as to cause an operating system command interpreter or application program to perform certain actions. ... Power management keys placed in the top row, with the keys at that place and below moved down one row. ... Language input keys are keys designed to translate letters entered by users, usually found in Japanese and Korean keyboards, for use with input method editor. ...

Contents

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