character map inserts wrong symbol

Question

Whenever I try to insert the   ¢   character into an email message using the keystroke (Alt+0162) I get a very small smiley face.   This also happens

when trying to insert other symbols.  The only way I can insert anything is to copy and paste it into the email message.   This did not happen in XP Outlook Express. I have International Send Setting set to Western European (ISO)  and "when replying to message always use English headers" is checked.  Under the Read tab International Read Settings it says Western European (Windows) and box is not checked. I checked my other pc running XP and settings were the same and I get the 'cent' sign.  I still get ☻ here with Vista.  I also get the same results when I try to insert something into Works Word Processor.  However, I do get the ¢ when using Microsoft Office Word. 

Is there any way I fix this??

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi Missmax

Did you try Chris' suggestion and do a clean boot?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135/

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Ken

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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Answer 2

Chris,

I'll use alt +0162 in this reply to show you what I get  ☻ (a smiley face).  You can see it better if you highlight it.  I'll try what you suggested over the weekend.

Thanks,

Maxine

Answer 3

Hi Missmax,

Thanks for using the Answers Forum.

I've tried to recreate your issue in Windows Mail, this forum, MS Word, Outlook...I can't create the smiley face.

This leads me to think there may be a non-Vista cause.

What happens when you try the key combination in this thread?

¢  is what I'm getting (a cent sign).

It looks like you may have had to paste the cent sign in from Word.

Sometimes called 'emoticons':

:]  smiley face

:[  frowny face

these symbols are used a lot on message boards and in chat rooms. 

There are also programs and tool bars that will convert keystrokes to the emoticon automatically that install on your computer.

MS Word uses a it's own set of character maps, which is probably why your character works in there and not in Mail or Works.

It looks a lot like some piece of software is trying to convert some of your Vista character map to emoticons.

First thing I suggest is a clean boot to prevent startup programs from creating this issue.

Here's how:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135/

If your able to create the cent sign in a clean boot environment, it's highly likely that you have software installed performing this conversion.

 Looking forward to hearing back from you.

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Chris

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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Answer 4

I use Arial or Comic Sans MS fonts.

Would uninstalling the character map and reinstalling it correct the problem?  I don't understand why it will insert the right character in Microsoft Office Word but not it Microsoft Works Word or in Windows Mail messages. 

Maxine

Answer 5

Hi Missmax,

What font are you using in Windows Mail? As you probably know, different font sets will return different characters using the same Alt-combinations.

Dave D

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Dave D

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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