Character Map not printing into apps, sometimes

Question

Level 1

31 points

Character Map not printing into apps, sometimes

I love using the Character Map, often its to perfect some metadata in Aperture or typically to accentuate something in TextEdit. However sometimes when double clicking the desired char it does not transfer to the field. For example in Textedit I can have a text document open and the char in the Character Map (on double-click) will not insert, so, as a workaround, I open a new document and then it works. Its the same for Aperture, but I usually copy from a text file.

Anybody else noticed this from time to time? Its been happening for a few point releases.

Posted on May 12, 2011 6:55 AM

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Answer 1

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,940 points

May 12, 2011 11:37 AM in response to Hamper

I have seen the same thing sometimes. I don't have any explanation or fix other than what you described. Normally there is no need to use Character Viewer for accents -- they can easily and reliably be made from the keyboard. A list is

http://homepage.mac.com/thgewecke/diacritics.html

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Answer 2

Hamper Author

Level 1

31 points

May 12, 2011 12:50 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Glad to know I'm not the only one.

I'm more of a visual man, I like the map for its quirky appeal. I could never remember all the ones I needed, I use the favourite list for that. Plus I like to take the opportunity to explore the chars when I'm looking to decorate something.

I know OS X is gaining many iOS styles, I like the iOS feature of the touch interface to click and hold a char to see all of its possibilities, that's good UI.

I think this is an error though, I don't know why it does it but it's not been fixed. I just wanted to know if I was right about it, might well submit it now.

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Answer 3

Hamper Author

Level 1

31 points

Sep 2, 2011 11:43 AM in response to Hamper

I think I've figured out what's wrong. I use the Character pad either in Aperture of Textedit, of which the behaviour can be replicated, respectively:

So, in Aperture, when it's not possible to either double click or use the "Insert" button to get a character in then what you have to do is simply click another field and then back again and it will work.

In Textedit (i.e. OS X) it's the same; as you'll be denied the insertion of the desired character but with a simple click to another open Textedit window, then back again, it will.

This can't be normal behaviour?!

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Answer 4

Sep 2, 2011 1:57 PM in response to Hamper

Never tried it by double-clicking; I always just drag the symbol into the document and it appears at the cursor insertion point.

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Answer 5

Hamper Author

Level 1

31 points

Sep 2, 2011 2:16 PM in response to noondaywitch

Oh, I didn't know that drag & drop would work, never done that myself. So, it always works for you?

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Answer 6

Sep 2, 2011 2:52 PM in response to Hamper

Yes, I've never had to change focus in the way you describe. However it also works perfectly well here using double-click in TextEdit and Pages (just been trying it) so there's something definitely screwed up at your end.

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Answer 7

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,940 points

Sep 2, 2011 2:57 PM in response to Hamper

I doubt it will make a difference, but one thing you could try is trashing the .plist in Home/Library/Preferences which has CharacterPalette in its name.

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Answer 8

Hamper Author

Level 1

31 points

Sep 2, 2011 3:11 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

I'll try it, but, if that requires a reboot then I'm going to have to get back to you on that, Im not one for reboots. You're right though, I do prod and poke my system all over, I like to do things my way, with a fresh install it'll probably not be an issue, probably.

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Answer 9

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,940 points

Sep 2, 2011 3:30 PM in response to Hamper

Hamper wrote:

Im not one for reboots.

Interesting! Could you explain why?

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Answer 10

Hamper Author

Level 1

31 points

Sep 2, 2011 3:39 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Oh come on, who likes rebooting. I have too many text files open with temporary blurbs and applications open, you know I'm on Snow Leopard, it's not as easy as if on Lion, there's not back in Safari and all the rest of it, nope, I reboot about as often as I got to the dentist or get my haircut.

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