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How to add Icelandic Characters in MS Word
all Word versions including 97, 98, 2000, 2002
without an Icelandic keyboard.
You replace or modify your normal.dot template.
The Simple Way
Use my normal.dot on your computer.
This puts a menu item in your Word "Insert"
a new listing named "Icelandic Letters" with all
lower and upper case in alphabetic order.
How to Download and Install It

First, using <Start> <Find files> on your computer search for your existing file called "normal.dot".

Note where you found the existing "normal.dot". Later, you will be copying your new here to overwrite it.

Now, copy "normal.dot" to another folder, like C:\|Temp, for back-up should you want to go back to it.

Get my Icelandic letters
normal.dot here--->

Download this self extracting file and
save it in C:\Temp.

Now, open Windows Explorer and
go to C:\Temp

Double click on "NormalDot.exe"
and unzip the self-extracting file to C:\Temp.

(You don't need an unzipping program on your computer. My zipped file does this all by itself.)

Now copy the new "normal.dot"
a Word file about 101 KB in size,
from here to
where your existing normal.dot file
was located and overwrite it.
(You backed yours up already, right?)

 Download
Self-Extracting
Icelandic Letters
normal.dot
Zipped File
Here
See if it works. The Test.

Open MS Word and a blank document. At the top menu click "Insert" and you'll see the Icelandic letters with an arrow to and the list of extra characters in alphabetical order, lower case first followed by upper case.
The Hard Way
Modify your normal.dot step-bystep.
This does the same thing, and it is
how I made the template step-by-step.
Choose this if your template has been
modified and you want to add these changes.
Most users use the default normal.dot template.
Instructions Cut & Paste Tip

As a writer of many things with a few Icelandic characters I need to add Icelandic letters.

Problem? I have an English keyboard. Yes, I have an Icelandic keyboard on one of my computers, especially great for Icelandic visitors, but I need it on my laptop too.

Solution. I've found an easy way to modify MS Word using an English keyboard so that the characters are always handy. They appear on a menu, easy to insert with a keyboard shortcut. It takes ten to twenty minutes to set up. But once you do this you'll never search for an Icelandic letter again.

What about other programs? Now you can work in MS Word and then cut-and-paste your text with Icelandic characters to any program (such as email) that doesn't have easy access to your full keyboard with the Icelandic letters.

There are three well-documented sometimes cumbersome ways to add Icelandic letters in MS Word.

1) Work from the Windows International Keyboard
2) Rely on the Insert-Symbol menu command
3) Type the character's code on the number pad while holding down the <Alt> key.

All three methods work, but they require either additional time or a good memory. Following is the easy way, once set up, to do it.

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How to add a one-stroke
Icelandic letter shortcut
to MS Word

MS Word starting with Office 97 offered a better solution, though nobody told you about it. You add the characters you use frequently to Word's menus. You can create entries for a handful of characters, or you can include a full set. You can even tack on other symbolic characters. To do this you will need a regular keyboard with a number keypad.

In a blank document, select <Tools> <Customize>. In the Customize dialog box, click the <Commands> tab; then scroll down the <Categories> list and select <New Menu>. Click and hold on the <New Menu> entry in the <Commands> list, then drag the mouse up to the menu bar in Word. I suggest dragging it to the "Insert" menu command. This will make the Insert menu drop down. Drag down through the menu until the line representing the insertion point is positioned where you want to insert the new menu command; then release the mouse button. Your new item will appear in the menu.

Back in the <Customize> dialog box, click <Modify Selection>, replace the text in the Name box on the menu with "Icelandic Letters" (or whatever you choose to call it), and press <Enter>. Click <Insert> on the menu to close it.

In the <Customize> dialog box, select <All Commands> in the <Categories> list; then select <Symbol> in the Commands list.

Click and hold on <Symbol> in the <Commands> list, and drag the new mouse pointer up to the <Insert menu>, down to the new <Icelandic Letters> menu item (or whatever you called it), and into the box that appears to the right of that item. In the resulting <Symbols> dialog box (you may have to drag it to the right to see all of it) select (normal text) from the top of the Font drop-down list, click on the character you want to add to the sub-menu, and click OK. The ANSI character code of the symbol will appear in the sub-menu.

I suggest that you do this for all of the Icelandic letters before proceeding to the next step. You will make a list of entries and if you do it in this order your Icelandic Letters will be in alphabetic order, lower case and then upper case.

á
é
í
ð
ý
ó
ú
þ
æ
ö
Á
É
Í
Ð
Ý
Ó
Ú
Þ
Æ
Ö

Click <Modify Selection> in the <Customize> dialog box. Select everything in the Name field of the popup menu. Next, hold down the <Alt> key and, using the number pad, type a 0 (zero) plus the three digit ANSI code. Release the <Alt> key and press <Enter> to insert the character into the menu. Repeat this step for any other characters you wish to add. When you're finished, close the <Customize> dialog box. Word will save your new menu in normal.dot, making it available in all documents.

To use your new commands, select <Insert> <Icelandic Letters> (or whatever you called it), and select a character.

The shortcut keys are hold down <Alt> and press the letter "I". This brings up the Insert. If you put "Icelandic Letters" at the top of the list it's already highlighted. Now use the arrow keys to go right and then down to the letter you want and press enter.

Note: If you make a mistake while working with Word's menus, you can simply drag the erroneous menu command off the menu and drop it on the document window, as long as the Customize dialog box is visible.

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Cut and Paste Tip

Just in case you're not aware of how to cut and paste on a PC:

Highlight the text to copy.
Want to copy everything on a page? Press F8 three times quick to select everything.

While holding down <Ctrl> press the letter C. This copies all selected text to the invisible clipboard.

Go to the place you want to put your text and click the cursor on the spot where you want to place it.

While holding down <Ctrl> press the letter V to paste the text to the new application
Hint: <Ctrl> X cuts the highlighted text
Hint: <Ctrl> C copies it, leaving the original text in place.
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