How can I type accentuated characters like ë? Need help

Question

From this post:

Often this is easier with the compose key. With that configured you use key combos to get the special characters. For instance:

For ë you press Compose+", e.
For ẽ you press Compose+~, e.
For ô you press Compose+^, o.
For á you press Compose+', a.
For à you press Compose+`, a.
For € you press Compose+=, e.
For £ you press Compose+-, l.

Note that you do not have to hold down the compose key; just press each key in order.

To set the compose key go to System -> Preferences -> Keyboard, then Layouts -> Options. Open up Compose Key Position and choose a key. I use Right-Alt."

I've been trying to do this for the past 24 hours and absolutely no special characters will bind to my compose key. Every time I type in a special code it lists it as "multikey" and I tried to set "á" to a million different key combinations and absolutely none of them work.

I NEED these special characters to do online spanish homework so I can't go without it. I can't to use the character map every single time I want to type a word.

Answer 1

If you are using the "English (US)" keyboard layout now, you need to add a keyboard layout that supports those special keys.

Go to System Settings - Keyboard - Text Entry, and click the + button under the list of language input methods / keyboard layouts. You need something like "English (US, international)". If your keyboard is not a standard US keyboard, you can just choose the one that describes your keyboard. If you are using a standard US keyboard, then you need to know which key on your keyboard is a special key... It might be the right Alt.

Now I am using "English (US, international with dead keys)". It is a little bit different from what you describe. Now I can input ë by simply pressing " first, releasing, and then pressing e. Similarly I can also do é è ¿. I can input ' and " with Right Alt+', etc.

You should switch to the keyboard using the switcher icon in the system tray.

Answer 2

Elias, it seems you have already configured what you need. As shown on the second image in this page, your compose key is set to "Left Ctrl", therefore in order to get ê type "letf-crtl" ^ e, I mean:

1- press and release left-crtl,

2- press and release ^,

3- press and release e.

If it is not working try to change the compose key to other key, like "Right Alt".

To do that click on "System Settings" "Keyboard" "Shortcuts" "typing" "Compose key"

In the line "Compose Key", click on the right side to open the menus and choose a new compose key.