Hawaiian Diacritics and Microsoft Word for Windows
Installing the Normal.dotm Template File
The Normal.dotm file is a Microsoft Word template file that saves your personal settings. Settings like margins, default font and other personalized settings are kept in this file. Macros are kept in this file as well. The Normal.dotm file provided for Hawaiian diacritics support contains macros which:
- Assign keystrokes to diacritical marks
- Input commonly used Hawaiian words into the Autocorrect dictionary
NOTE: You will need to reset any personalized settings you have already saved when replacing your current Normal.dotm file with the one provided by ITS. Make a backup copy of your current Normal.dotm file just in case you need to revert back to the old file
Windows 10 Installation
- Enable the Show hidden files, folders and drives option
- Go to File Explorer
- Click on the View tab and click on Options
- Click on the tab labeled View
- In the Advanced Settings window, scroll down until you see the option named Show hidden files, folders and drives and select it.
- Click on Apply then OK to finish
- Download the Normal.dotm file from http://www.hawaii.edu/its/micro/pc/files/Normal.dotm
- Save or copy the file into the C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates directory
- (Optional) You can backup the old Normal.dotm file by renaming the existing file to Normal-old.dotm
- Launch Microsoft Word and open a new blank document
- In Microsoft Word, click on View in the toolbar, then choose Macros then View Macros option
- Look for the macro called diacritics and double-click on it to run it
Windows 11 Installation
- Enable the Hidden items option
- Go to File Explorer
- Click on the View and select Show
- Make sure Hidden items is checked
- Download the Normal.dotm file from http://www.hawaii.edu/its/micro/pc/files/Normal.dotm
- Save or copy the file into the C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates directory
- (Optional) You can backup the old Normal.dotm file by renaming the existing file to Normal-old.dotm
- Launch Microsoft Word and open a new blank document
- In Microsoft Word, click on View in the toolbar, then choose Macros then View Macros option
- Look for the macro called diacritics and double-click on it to run it
Using Macros in Microsoft Word for Windows
The macro will list all the Hawaiian words that were added to the Autocorrect dictionary as well as list the keystroke shortcuts it has created. You may save the document for future reference.
The template creates the following shortcut keys for each mark:
ʻ | okina | Ctrl-Shift-y |
ā | small "a" with kahakō | Ctrl-Shift-a |
ē | small "e" with kahakō | Ctrl-Shift-e |
ī | small "i" with kahakō | Ctrl-Shift-i |
ō | small "o" with kahakō | Ctrl-Shift-o |
ū | small "u" with kahakō | Ctrl-Shift-u |
Ā | capital "a" with kahakō | Alt-Ctrl-Shift-a |
Ē | capital "e" with kahakō | Alt-Ctrl-Shift-e |
Ī | capital "i" with kahakō | Alt-Ctrl-Shift-i |
O | capital "o" with kahakō | Alt-Ctrl-Shift-o |
Ū | capital "u" with kahakō | Alt-Ctrl-Shift-u |
To use the shortcut keys, e.g., to type "Manoa" with the correct diacritical marks:
- Type the "M"
- Hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys and press the letter "a"
- Type "noa"
Adding New Words to the Autocorrect List
- Open a new document
- Type out the new Hawaiian word with the proper diacritical marks in the document
- Highlight the word and press Ctrl + c on your keyboard to copy the word into the clipboard
- Click File, Options and Proofing (In Office 2007, click Microsoft Office Button, Word Options and Proofing)
- Choose Autocorrect Options
- In the Replace box type the Hawaiian word without the proper diacritics
- The With box should contain the proper spelling. If it does not, click once in the With box and press Ctrl + v on your keyboard to paste the correct spelling into the box
- Click on OK to finish