Accent Marks

[janelp]

I can not get the accent marks to work. For instance i hold down "o" and the marks show but i can't then insert the letter and mark i want. Just keep getting the unaccented letter. I don't have that problem with the apostrophe mark above the comma/exclamation mark key. What am I doing wrong with the accents or is it an iPad problem?

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

The easiest first way to try to solve ‘unexplained’ or ‘unusual’ problems with the iPad are:-

Force the offending app to close. If you have iOS 4.2 or 4.3 double-press the ‘Home’ button to bring up the multi-task bar at the bottom of the screen. Press *and hold* any icon until they start to ‘jiggle’. Then tap the top left-hand corner of the app that you want to close. It will ‘disappear’ from the list. Don’t panic - you’ve not deleted it, just closed it. Now tap the Home screen and the multi-task bar will disappear. Re-open the iPad’s app and see if the problem has resolved itself. If not, it’s on to possible solution number two!!
Restart the iPad. Press *and hold* the Power button. After a couple of seconds a slider control will appear asking you to confirm that you really want to switch the iPad off (this is all you’ll be doing). Slide the control to accept. A rotating white ‘bezel’ will appear in the iPad screen as the iPad powers down (it takes a few seconds, just like it would if you were shutting down your PC). When the screen of the iPad has gone completely blank, press *and hold* the Power button for a couple of seconds until the white Apple logo appears and the iPad starts to power up. This takes several seconds, so be patient. During the power up the automatic screen orientation function is disabled, so don’t panic. A few seconds before the power up is complete, the iPad plays a little ‘jingle’ and then you’re back to the Home screen. Restart the iPad’s app and see if the problem persists. Apple (and Forum members) recommend that you power down your iPad at least once a week, just as you might regularly completely switch off your PC. The normal procedure of just briefly pressing the Power button of the iPad merely puts it to ‘sleep’. Most Forum members have found that one of the two methods I’ve mentioned here cure a whole bunch of unexplained problems and are an easy first step to resolving most anything that happens on the iPad.

Tim
Scotland

 

[twerppoet]

Instead of releasing the key when the options appear, drag your finger to the accent you want. When it is highlighted, lift your finger.

You may notice that when the extra options first pop up the unaccented 'o' is highlighted. That's why you keep getting it. The apostrophe is the only extended option on its key, which is why you can skip the dragging part to get it.

 

[janelp]

Tim, as this is an iPad featyre and not an app, the process for misbehaving apps isn't the answer. Thanks, though.
IPad folks: thanks, the sliding bit works. I was trying to hold the o and then use my other hand to hit the accent. Usually I am smarter than that. Lol

 

[twerppoet]

No problem. Glad you're back in business.

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

One I learnt about just the other day is that, if you're using the on-screen keyboard and want to type a number, then you normally touch the '123' button, then type the number, then touch the 'ABC' button to return to letters.

But, in the tips and tricks section, I found that - instead of just touching the '123' button - if you touch and hold it and then slide your finger across to the number you want to type and then release, it inserts that number and returns you to the letters section of the keyboard. One key press instead of three.

Tim

 

[twerppoet]

Yep, it's very handy for adding the @ to email addresses and typing in passwords.

If you are in an email entry field you can hold down the . key to get the typical .com .net style endings. If you are in a URL field you can hold down the .com key for the other common domains; .net .org and so on.