• Also on Linux, there is a way to enter foreign characters by typing a code.
- Start entering a number by hitting Ctrl+Shift+u
- Enter the four-symbol hexadecimal number of the code, e.g. 03B4 for the character δ, and hit Enter
Find the codes of the character you want to enter in the tool "Characters".
• Instead of entering the codes, you can use the tool itself to copy a character to the clipboard, then paste it. You can search characters by name or find them in the different tabs. When you click a character, hitting Enter in the dialog that appears will copy it to the clipboard. You can paste it using Ctrl+V
• Linux has for the long time that it exists a system of the "Compose" key. It allows to enter special characters by 1) hitting a signal key, i.e. the "Compose" key (you set it yourself, could be e.g. Control right) and 2) some characters that will combine into a special character. e.g. Compose"e will result in the character ë.
• Inspect the possibilities of your keyboard layout. On a US international keyboard, there are many characters hidden under the right AltGr key and a character, e.g. AltGr+Shift+: yields °, AltGrm yields µ.
• Finally, what you specifically asked, you can create a shortcut key that types a character using a utility xdotool. Suppose you want to use Ctrl+Shift+p to type the character ‣. Create a shortcut, and enter the command
xdotool keyup ctrl+shift+p type ‣
The keyup statement simulate releasing the shortcut key because holding it down may interfere with the typing.
