How to create shortcut to insert specific special character

Question

I'm using some special characters like mathematical symbols in different programs like Mail or Adobe Illustrator. Of course I can open the Symbols Table, search for the needed symbol and copy&paste it. Is there a way to define a shortcut to insert a specific special character?

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 03 '12 at 16:26

Two possibilities are through creating a modified keyboard layout (which can be done manually, but is made much simpler using a program like Ukulele) or through a shortcut program like TextExpander

I use TextExpander, myself, so that c== is a shortcut on my system for ⌘, o== for ⌥, and several others, in part because I do not want to lose the symbols already mapped to the option (⌥) key combinations on my keyboard.

On the other hand, remapping the ⌥ keys to symbols different than the ones they are original configured for can be helpful and convenient for some people also, which is where Ukulele shines.

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:45

2

You can use built-in Automator and Services. Look at my answer to the similar question.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:45

Community

1

answered Jan 03 '12 at 17:07

Kentzo

371

gentmatt · Answer 3 · 2012-01-03T17:56:08.460

1

You can get very fast access to the symbols via the widget CharacterPal.

Click on the needed icon in order to paste to the clipboard.

enter image description here

edited Jan 03 '12 at 17:56

answered Jan 03 '12 at 17:03

gentmatt

49,722

You mean copy to the clipboard? – Nicolas Barbulesco Apr 19 '15 at 08:52
And which icon? – Nicolas Barbulesco Apr 19 '15 at 08:53

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited Apr 19 '15 at 09:21

1

Another option would be to create ~/Library/KeyBindings/ and save a property list like this as DefaultKeyBinding.dict:

{
    "\UF704" = { // F1
        "a" = (insertText:, "∀");
        "2" = (insertText:, "²");
    };
    "~a" = (insertText:, "∀");
}

After restarting applications, pressing F1A or Alt ⌥ A should insert "∀".

edited Apr 19 '15 at 09:21

Tetsujin

115,663

answered Jan 17 '12 at 03:58

Lri

105,117

score -1 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 19 '15 at 08:57

-1

You may create an AppleScript that insert your character.

Then, it is possible to have this script in the Scripts menu at the right.

Then I think that, in the menu, the script can have a keyboard command.

Then you are done!

answered Apr 19 '15 at 08:57

Nicolas Barbulesco

2,382

How to create shortcut to insert specific special character

5 Answers5