Can you write non-English characters such as ¡ ñ ?

Question

Within MS Office applications it is possible to type certain non-English characters using the AltGr and other combination keys such as Ctrl+Alt+Shift; however for non-Office applications such as email (other than Outlook) I use a key combination which uses, on a full keyboard, Alt+Numeric Pad, but on compact keyboards (without a numeric pad) the Fn (or Fn+Alt) key(s) together with standard keys that behave as if they were on the Numeric Pad.

I MUST have this ability before I decide to buy a MS Surface Tablet.

Now ... I can see that the Touch keyboard (I haven't seen the Type one) has a Fn key, but I cannot see that the standard keys have a Fn 'option'. In other words ... I just cannot work out how to use the Fn key in order to type those characters.

I'm afraid the Insert/symbol options available from the tool bar at the top are just not suitable: I use these characters constantly and touch type fast. Using the Insert/Symbol solution would make my typing far too slow.

Answer 1

Greetings Salvador,

Hopefully this will be a bit more helpful:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/new-keyboard-shortcuts#1TC=t1

Answer 2

Shift is the fn key on touch cover

You can also use on screen keyboard for special characters, for ñ keep the 'n' key pressed and the option pops up

Answer 3

Thanks. I'll try it. However ... there IS a separate Fn key on the touch cover. If there is a function key, how come there are no function alternatives to the proper keys? I am puzzled.

Answer 4

I just use the on screen one when I need to

Answer 5

Thanks ... that's a little too slow for I have to interrupt my 'typing' in full stream. But thanks for your troubles.

Salva