QwikChar

When designing an operating system, developers tend to incorporate as many features as possible into its built-in tools, in an attempt to cover a large portion of the user base’s needs. However, for those times when you require a shorter range of elements, the realm of open-source software comes into play, providing solutions for problems beyond the scope of proprietary apps’ developers.

One example is QwikChar, a lightweight program that provides access to special Greek and Latin ASCII characters only, giving users an alternative to manually launching Windows’ Character Map feature and scrolling to the right set of symbols.

Thanks to its portable nature, not only are users spared from having to run lengthy installation wizards, but they can also add it to their USB flash drive-powered on-the-go setups for use on their work and personal machines without worrying about synchronizing its settings over the internet.

While double-clicking its executable summons the background process, triggering a combination of the Windows and Z hotkeys brings up its interface right underneath the cursor for quick access to the character list, the latter staying on top of other application windows to avoid overlay issues. Clicking on any symbol copies it to the clipboard and closes the symbol picker to let you resume focusing on your work.

A handy function is the ability to change the available characters into elements that suit your line of work, using its dedicated XML file and restarting the app, thus providing users with enough flexibility to mold the program to their needs.

To speed up the interaction process, the program boasts a bottom list with the most recently copied symbols for those with a particular type of workflow. Since the app’s default shortcut originally opens the window snap layout menu feature of the operating system, users have the option of either changing it to avoid possible interference or double-clicking the system tray icon, depending on their preference.

While its window can be resized to accommodate more items and avoid excessive scrolling, the interface cannot be dragged around with the cursor or dismissed by clicking anywhere outside of it, leaving the Escape key as the only way to remove it for times when you accidentally trigger it.

If your daily workflow revolves around using Latin and Greek characters and Windows’ default Character Map feature feels outdated and cumbersome to use, then QwikChar’s accessible interface and support for custom symbols may be a proper solution to help you finish your assignments.