How to configure keyboard shortcuts for special characters on OS X?

How to configure keyboard shortcuts for special character on OS X? For example, one would set ALT+C to ©.

MaiaVictor

Posted 2012-08-19T04:10:13.543

Reputation: 579

This question: http://apple.stackexchange.com/q/49565/73607 on the Apple SA is similar, and has some nice answers.

– JW. – 2014-03-27T13:28:08.777

Answers

Create ~/Library/KeyBindings/ and save a property list like this as DefaultKeyBinding.dict:

{
    "~c" = (insertText:, "©");
}

Applying changes requires reopening applications. The custom keybindings don't work in all applications or views, but they do seem to work in Sublime Text 2.

For more information, see hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/Cocoa%20Text%20System.html and osxnotes.net/keybindings.html.

You could also make a custom keyboard layout with Ukelele or create a private.xml in KeyRemap4MacBook.

Lri

Posted 2012-08-19T04:10:13.543

Reputation: 34 501

@´ This gives me a syntax error when trying to source the file: DefaultKeyBinding.dict: line 2: syntax error near unexpected token \('` – Winterflags – 2015-12-14T09:28:16.977

To type © on a Mac, it's Alt+g

To configure keyboard shortcuts for special characters on OS X:

System Preferences > Language & Text > Text > Symbol & Text substitution. Use the + on the bottom of the list to add the ones you want.

EDIT 08/19/12:

According to http://www.macworld.com/article/1160500/text_substitutions.html, you can make Text Substitution universal in Macs by executing the command in Terminal:

defaults write -g WebAutomaticTextReplacementEnabled -bool true

superuser

Posted 2012-08-19T04:10:13.543

Reputation: 3 297

In Mavericks, it's Keyboard > Text. – paulmelnikow – 2015-04-02T17:20:18.023

I have made an edit to the answer, hope this helps. – superuser – 2012-08-19T04:18:23.633

1Symbol & Text substitution is not working for my editor, sublime. – MaiaVictor – 2012-08-19T04:29:00.233

I'm not familiar with Sublime, but I found this article which might help in your case: http://www.macworld.com/article/1160500/text_substitutions.html

– superuser – 2012-08-19T04:38:30.333

@superuser, that link contains some nice info. Please add the defaults write and Edit > Substitutions to your answer. – None – 2012-08-19T06:03:08.077

The defaults command does the same thing as the checkbox in the Language & Text preference pane. – Lri – 2012-08-19T09:45:56.607

This answer is no longer timely for Mavericks. Your menu options listed here do not exist now – boulder_ruby – 2014-03-22T19:20:18.133

Another method is to trick your computer into auto-correcting some string of text to the symbol of your choice.

For example, typing theta changes to θ

To do this on Mavericks go to: System Preferences > Keyboard > Text

boulder_ruby

Posted 2012-08-19T04:10:13.543

Reputation: 368