How to configure keyboard shortcuts for special characters on OS X?

Question

How to configure keyboard shortcuts for special character on OS X? For example, one would set ALT+C to ©.

Solution 1

Create ~/Library/KeyBindings/ and save a property list like this as DefaultKeyBinding.dict:

{
    "~c" = (insertText:, "©");
}

Applying changes requires reopening applications. The custom keybindings don't work in all applications or views, but they do seem to work in Sublime Text 2.

For more information, see hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/Cocoa%20Text%20System.html and osxnotes.net/keybindings.html.

You could also make a custom keyboard layout with Ukelele or create a private.xml in KeyRemap4MacBook.

Solution 2

To type © on a Mac, it's Alt+g

To configure keyboard shortcuts for special characters on OS X:

System Preferences > Language & Text > Text > Symbol & Text substitution. Use the + on the bottom of the list to add the ones you want.

EDIT 08/19/12:

According to http://www.macworld.com/article/1160500/text_substitutions.html, you can make Text Substitution universal in Macs by executing the command in Terminal:

defaults write -g WebAutomaticTextReplacementEnabled -bool true

Solution 3

Another method is to trick your computer into auto-correcting some string of text to the symbol of your choice.

For example, typing theta changes to θ

To do this on Mavericks go to: System Preferences > Keyboard > Text

Comments

[JW.]

This question: apple.stackexchange.com/q/49565/73607 on the Apple SA is similar, and has some nice answers.

[superuser]

I have made an edit to the answer, hope this helps.

[MaiaVictor]

Symbol & Text substitution is not working for my editor, sublime.

[superuser]

I'm not familiar with Sublime, but I found this article which might help in your case: macworld.com/article/1160500/text_substitutions.html

[Admin]

@superuser, that link contains some nice info. Please add the defaults write and Edit > Substitutions to your answer.

[brevno]

The defaults command does the same thing as the checkbox in the Language & Text preference pane.

[boulder_ruby]

This answer is no longer timely for Mavericks. Your menu options listed here do not exist now

[paulmelnikow]

In Mavericks, it's Keyboard > Text.

[P A N]

@´ This gives me a syntax error when trying to source the file: DefaultKeyBinding.dict: line 2: syntax error near unexpected token `('