How do I enter unicode character using the keyboard

[jmoellers]

Hi,

I have read that I could enter any unicode character by typing

Ctrl+Shift+u code <blank>

where

code

is eg e5 for an å.
However, I have found that this does not work on my kubuntu 20.04. Instead nothing happens on

Ctrl+Shift+u

and then the

e5

is shown.
I tried this in kate (where I would like to use this feature to enter bullets or arrows) and also in konsole (tried just for testing).

How can I configure this feature?

Thanks in advance,
Josef

[Snowhog]

See this: https://userbase.kde.org/Tutorials/ComposeKey

[chimak111]

I know you want a keyboard-based solution and the Compose key route provides that. I have limited use for extended characters, but for the few I use, I have a plain text file containing these characters. I have a script (bound to a convenient keyboard shortcut) that (or which?) uses Rofi plus xclip plus xdotool (so X11 only) to select the relevant character and paste it into a qt/gtk application. (I don't need to use extended characters in any terminal including my PS1 prompt.)

The script:

#!/bin/bash

options='-columns 6 -width 100 -lines 20 -location 1'

selected=$( < $HOME/Dropbox/bin/my-special-chars.txt rofi -dmenu -i -markup-rows -columns 6 -width 50 -lines 20 -location 1 -p "Select item: " )

[[ -z $selected ]] && exit

echo -ne $(echo "$selected" | awk ' { print $1 } ')\
| xclip -selection clipboard
sleep 0.1
xdotool key shift+Insert

exit 0

And my-specialchars.txt (I don't know how they'll show up here!):

✔ right 237B
✘ wrong 2718
» greater 00BB
« less 00AB
… ellipsis 2026
™ trademark 2122
© copyright 00A9
® registered 00AE
° degree 00B0
• big-dot 2022
⚙ cog wheel/gear 2699
😃 smile 1F603
😉 wink 1F609
😔 sad 1F614
☰ hamburger 2630
— em-dash 2014
① circle-1 2460
② circle-2 2461
③ circle-3 2462
¹ super-1 00B9
² super-2 00B2
³ super-3 00B3
⁴ super-4 2074
⁵ super-5 2075
⁶ super-6 2076
⁷ super-7 2077
⁸ super-8 2078
⁹ super-9 2079
± plus/minus 00B1
µ mu 03BC
α alpha 03B1
β beta 03B2
λ lambda 03BB
¶ pilcrow 00B6
Δ delta-cap 0394
Σ sigma-cap 03A3

BTW, with a little modification, the script works in Wayland (with Sway).

[GreyGeek]

Check this out:
man scankeycodes

[jlittle]

I have read that I could enter any unicode character by typing
where is eg e5 for an å.
However, I have found that this does not work on my kubuntu 20.04.

It is working for me in 21.10.

I've mucked about a lot with keyboard layouts and system settings, input devices, keyboard, advanced tab, but I don't know what turned this on. (I usually use a compose key, set to the pause key, for several symbols and diacritics, and i_ctrl-v in vim if I'm desperate.)

Edit - Maybe I mucked about with Input Methods. On the plasma Settings menu I have two items called "Input Method" and another "IBUS Preferences".

[jlittle]

I don't use Wayland.

I just started my test jammy install, and control-shift u didn't work. I used muon to install "ibus" (on the suggestion of the "Input Method" dialogue). By itself, that wasn't enough, but using "Input Method" again I chose "activate Intelligent Input Bus (IBus) @", log out, and back in and ctrl-shift-u to enter Unicode points by hex code works.

What the consequences of doing this are, or any downsides, I've no idea.

If there's some code point I want to enter occasionally that isn't covered by the standard compose key stuff, I think I'd try to add my point to the compose key set up, though the last time I tried I failed. (I need to enter Δ and μ for my work, so I use the EuroKey keyboard layout, which has a dead-greek key.)

[Qqmike]

Would you happen to be a mathematician, or math-guy, jlittle?

[jlittle]

(Not sure how to reply to a comment.)
No, I work with building analytics software, which is very picky about units. For example, subtracting temperatures gives a distinct unit, typically Δ°C; an exception is thrown, with an obnoxiously long stack trace, comparing Δ°C with °C, or adding two temperatures.