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It is frequent to have to write macros or packages names in comments of questions or answers. Because the Ctrl+K shortcut is disabled in such comments, it is necessary to manually surround with the reverse quotes `.

I know that, in such comments, code blocks are not welcome but the Ctrl+K shortcut could be enabled just for inline code snippets.

BTW, nevertheless, it would be sometimes useful to add code blocks, not in answers, but in comments of either questions or answers. I know comments shouldn't become too extensive (cf. Multiline code block in comment) but they are in any case limited by the characters number.

Edit by CarLaTeX: the backticks are impossible to type also on Italian keyboards (on Windows, at least), unless you use "Italian 142" (the Italian keyboard for programmers, available on Windows 10, afaik not on the previous versions).

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  • BTW, I posted this feature request because the reverse quotes `` ` `` are uneasy to type on French keyboard (<kbd>AltGr</kbd>+<kbd>7</kbd>). You see in previous sentence that I just realize other useful editing features are unavailable in comments :(
    – Denis Bitouzé
    Jun 23, 2014 at 14:56
  • 1
    +1, BTW, the reverse quotes `` ` `` are impossible to type on Italian keyboard, unless you use "Italian 142" (the Italian keyboard for programmers).
    – CarLaTeX
    Sep 30, 2017 at 3:54
  • @CarLaTeX Please up vote my question in order to make it more visible.
    – Denis Bitouzé
    Sep 30, 2017 at 7:59
  • Already done, but I think it's not enough...
    – CarLaTeX
    Sep 30, 2017 at 8:01
  • @CarLaTeX Ooops, sorry: usually, I'm informed of up vote but I didn't see yours this morning. And I agree: what is the weight of two poor French and Italian people compared to all this qwerty keyboard users who very easily type the back quotes? ;)
    – Denis Bitouzé
    Sep 30, 2017 at 8:33
  • :'( I don't if you are notified also of the upvote on Meta...
    – CarLaTeX
    Sep 30, 2017 at 8:38
  • I'll edit your question adding that the problem is also for Italians, in this way it jumps at the beginning of the question list :)
    – CarLaTeX
    Sep 30, 2017 at 8:40
  • the backtick `` ` `` key is right there on my French mac keyboard, at right side, next to shift and return keys ;-).
    – user4686
    Sep 30, 2017 at 9:01
  • @jfbu And the poor Windows users? Sometimes you can't choose which system to use (at work I have Windows).
    – CarLaTeX
    Sep 30, 2017 at 9:38
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    @CarLaTeX I said that in jest, I also have big problems with my Dell keyboard attached to a Linux terminal. The keyboard backquote is mapped to some dead grave accent and I have to hit space and it is slooww reacting when doing this while typing comments on this site. In fact, on the Mac it is also awaiting further char, but is so much more efficient...
    – user4686
    Sep 30, 2017 at 10:31
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    Type in the answer box and then discard the answer?
    – percusse
    Oct 2, 2017 at 23:45
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    @percusse Not very handy as the answer box is sometimes far away from (and even not on the same page as) the place you want to comment.
    – Denis Bitouzé
    Oct 3, 2017 at 5:16
  • I found out that Alt+96 on my Italian keyboard writes a backtick, is it the same on the French one?
    – CarLaTeX
    Oct 5, 2017 at 15:53
  • @CarLaTeX I guess this is Windows shortcut so I can't tell you since I'm using Linux. Anyway, even on Windows (I don't know with Mac keyboards), it is enough to type AltGr+7 to get the backtick (which is easier than having to remember "96" ;)
    – Denis Bitouzé
    Oct 6, 2017 at 5:38
  • This could be useful :)
    – CarLaTeX
    Oct 6, 2017 at 5:39

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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This is something that has been (feature) requested back in 2011 on Meta.SE: Formatting Keyboard Shortcuts for Comments and is truly something that will have to be implemented network-wide.

The only automated suggestion is a web-script that you can install via Tampermonkey or Greasemonkey.

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