Not having every special character readily available on your keyboard can be frustrating, especially when programming, navigating directories in a command line, or writing documentation. Two commonly used special characters or symbols in various technical contexts are the backslash (\) and the pipe (|). If these aren't visible on your keyboard, don't worry-there are several workarounds you can use to type these characters.
If your keyboard lacks a specific key, you can use Alt codes to type the characters you need: Hold down the Alt key and type 092 on the numeric keypad for a backslash, and for a pipe, hold down the Alt key and type 124. Ensure that Num Lock is on when you type these codes using the numeric keypad.
Windows includes a utility called Character Map that allows you to find and copy any character. By opening the app and checking the 'Advanced view' box, you can search for a character by name, such as backslash or vertical line, and easily copy and paste it where you need it.
MacOS makes it relatively easy to type most characters using keyboard shortcuts. For instance, to insert a backslash, users can press Shift + Option + 7, and for a pipe, they can press Option + Shift + L, although the layout may vary. Mac also offers a Keyboard Viewer for visualizing and accessing special characters.
Collection
[
|
...
]