Keyboard shortcut for inserting Unicode glyphs
Accessibility and other forms of automated publishing require the correct Unicode glyphs.
These glyphs include punctuation, math/science symbols, foreign language characters, and bullets/symbols. In 2000, Unicode became the default character set worldwide across the technology industries.
But we have no way to easily insert these glyphs into InDesign layouts. For example, if I need the math multiplication symbol rather than a lower case "x", I need to either scroll through the glyph dialogue box, or know beforehand the symbol's codepoint 2715 and type it into the Unicode field in the glyph dialogue box.
Too slow! Especially when you have to use a lot of these glyphs in a document.
Word has a keyboard short that works beautifully:
type the 4-5 digit codepoint for the symbol you need, followed by Alt+x and it will look back over the digits and replace them with the correct Unicode symbol. Takes less than a second to insert the Unicode glyph.
InDesign needs this, too!
Examples of some commonly Unicode codepoints are:
Em-Dash U+2014
Division (math) U+00F7
Copyright U+00A9
Black square bullet U+20A0
Thumbs Up Emoji U+1F44D
Summation (math) U+2211 and not the Greek language letter capital Sigma
Bevi Chagnon
shared this idea
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Mohammed Shahid Rahman commented
In word its so simple. Just type the 4 digits hex combination and press Alt X. Thats it.
This method should be implemented in Indesign as well without use of any scripts. -
Filip Blazek
commented
This would be an awesome feature! Affinity Publisher has a nice implementation: Text > Toggle Unicode. It changes selected glyphs to U+XXXX format and back. Simple, efficient. (See screenshot.)
Please add this feature to InDesign and other Adobe apps. -
Heric Dehon
commented
It's a relly good idea. I'd like to see that too.
Thanks, @Bevi Chagnon
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Anonymous
commented
As a Federal employee, I need this in order to comply with the law.
