"Alt+" equivalent on laptop

I've become accustomed to using the Alt key plus the number pad to make unusual characters on my desktop PC, like ñ (Alt+1-6-4) for Spanish words. But this doesn't work with the numbers at the TOP of the keyboard, only those on the right side of the keyboard.

But my laptop (like most) doesn't have the number pad. Is there a way to accomplish the same thing on a laptop's smaller keyboard?

This became a more urgent question when the "C" quit working on a friend's laptop. I promised her I would find out if there was another way to type a C...

 

It is very annoying, but:

Press the NUMLOCK key.

Then you can press alt+ (I think (u=1, i=2, o=3, j=4, k=5, l=6, m=7, ,=8, .=9, not sure what 0 is))

Your laptop should have small numbers on your keyboard for this.

 

It is a real PITA to use alternate (number) keys on a laptop.

I've overcome the problem by using an external keyboard (if you have room).

As suggested there are ways to do it using a combination of special keys, on your laptop, but it is really not worth the effort if you have room for an external keyboard.

The reason it doesn't work is that the numeric keypad codes, normally far right on an external keyboard, are different from the numeric key codes found at the top of any keyboard.

Never been able to figure out why, but probably goes back to 80's keyboard design.
The old 84 key versus the later 101 key keyboards, probably.

Bazza

PS: You could get an add-on numeric keypad (probably now using a USB port) if it really bugs you, and you don't have room for a full size external keyboard. Baz

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Wow, learn something every day.....I always thought people had crazy fonts going on j$☻○♦☺♥♣◘•...hehe, sweet! is there more??

 

Just one example for you. Do a google search on:-

external+laptop+keypad -battery -fan. Cut and paste it into Google. Bazza

http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-External-Pocket-Calculator-33059/dp/B00009L1XO

Just had a thought, make sure that they will give you a money back guarantee that it will work with the same codes as a keypad on a normal keyboard. Baz