Expert: Shauna Anderson - 1/4/2012

Question
How can I type french in autocad. I have to create a drawing using only french with those little squiggly lines over the letters. How can those characters appear?

Answer
Thanks for the question.

I am sure that the proper way would be to install some type of language pack and perhaps even the French version of ACAD, but I would go about it like this:

Using the character map that is included with Windows (under system tools or search for charmap.exe) you can find those symbols. Some of them are ANSII characters and can be added by holding down the ALT key and entering the number code from the number pad . The numbers above the letters don't do this. When you select a symbol the ANSII code shows up at the bottom left. So ALT + 0231 = ç.  (You must include preceding 0s)
But if you go down farther, you see letters that have a different code that shows up on the bottom right, and nothing appears on the lower left. These you can select, and then cut and paste. An example is: ć ƈ

I would be sure to use a standard Windows font or there will be problems on the other end and the receiver will have boxes where the missing symbols belong.

I am also a big fan of Google's translate function. It is in the list of "More" Google options, and may prove to be helpful. Again I would cut and paste, and the letters are included.

J'espère que cela est utile (I hope this is helpful)

-Shauna