You can record a macro and assign a keystroke to the macro. I've used this method for years and it works very well.
(select the em dash from the INSERT/SPECIALCHARACTER menu while recording your macro) "Jean Hollis Weber" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > susan brill wrote: >> How do I insert an em dash, which I need all of the time? >> You auto-turn two hyphens into an em dash, but if I go >> back and try to insert one in preexisting text and then >> type a word after it to make it auto-turn into em dash, >> it doesn't always work. > > Hello Susan, > I am a technical editor, and I have found em- and en-dashes to be a > thorough nuisance in OOo. > > The well-hidden secret is that you can insert these characters manually > using ALT-0150 (en-dash) and ALT-0151 (em-dash), if your keyboard > cooperates. My laptop's keyboard won't cooperate, but my external keyboard > (used when I'm at home) does it fine. > > You mentioned auto-turning two hyphens into an em-dash. Did you know you > can also auto-turn two hyphens into an en-dash? Type a character, a space, > two hyphens, another space, then a character and a space. Most of the time > I don't want the spaces before and after an en-dash, so I have to go back > and delete them. > >> I am using openoffice.org 2.0 Writer. I am an editor, I >> must have my em dashes. I also need en dashes, they have >> two separate meanings in writing. Can't they just be >> included in the symbols? > > I believe an enhancement request has been filed for this, but if not I > will file one! (But not this weekend... too busy.) > >> Note: ctrl+shift+minus is not a dash, it's a non-breaking >> hyphen (as far as I can tell) > > You are correct. > >> Thanks for anything you can do to enlighten me if this is >> available and I'm not finding it. > > Regards, Jean > Jean Hollis Weber > > --------- > Get printed copies of "Getting Started with OOo2.0" and > "OOo Writer Guide" from http://www.lulu.com/opendocument > Free PDFs are at http://documentation.openoffice.org/manuals/ --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
