Is there a way I can set my computer to add the macrons? Thanks.
If it’s for Latin, and you’re using Windows, one easy way to do it is to change your computer’s default input language to Maori. You can then type macra by hitting the “~” key before a vowel. In Windows XP this is done through the “Regional and Language Options” in the Control Panel.
I tried that and it didn’t work. My computer uses Window Vista.
What I did was create a custom keyboard layout using this tool that maps to the macrons using dead keys, so to get ā, I would typea.
Ī ūsē Vīstā, ānd īt wōrks fōr mē.
Control Panel | Regional and Language Options | Keyboards and Languages | Change keyboards… then Add… and select Maori (New Zealand). It should put a language bar either on the Start Bar, or in a corner of the screen as a small floating window. When in an application, select MR from the language bar to type the macrons as Craig instructed.
Worked for me, too, with Maori. I’m on Windows 7.
Therein lies the problem.
On a more serious note, for Mac users:
- Open System Preferences (under the Apple icon on the top left).
- Under Personal (top row) go to Language & Text (flag icon).
- Select Input Sources (far right choice).
- Scroll down until you get to Hawaiian and check the box.
- Close System Preferences.
When you’re ready to type with macrons:
- Near the top right there is a flag. Click it.
- Pull down menu will show Hawaiian. Select it.
- Type away. Option + (vowel) will get you a macron.
- Remember to use Option + ’ to get an apostrophe. Hawaiian uses something called an okina (glottal stop), and it is definitely note an apostrophe.
Tēnā koutou. Also helps if you ever decide to learn te reo.
I don’t think I can do it in the forum posts… but in WORD I use ^ for the macrons.
Such as û â î , etc.
You hold down SHIFT and CONTROL and tap ^. Let go of all three then tap the vowel you want long and you will see the vowel with the ^ over it.
It must be an MS Office or just WORD function.
Testing with the forum font - u a fail..
I’ve started just copying the “combining macron” from the character map (charmap) and then hitting “paste” (CTRL + v) after each letter that I want to paste the macron on.
ā ē ī ō ū
Ā Ē Ī Ō Ū
Works nicely, I think. How does it look on your end(s)?
Jason
Yŏŭ căn ălsŏ dŏ ĭt wĭth chĕvrŏns, by thĕ wăy.
Ōr jūst stāy wīth mācrōns āll thē tīmē.
Pretty easy, I think. 
Looks good from here!
None of it sounds easy though. I’ll stick with typing in WORD and then copying my whole text. But if I’m just typing in a forum, I will just skip the macrons for simplicity sake.
I wanted to be able to do them in Excel because I am putting my vocabulary as I learn words through whatever I am reading at the time. Excel is easier to deal with in that case but I have to copy words with macrons from WORD.
Open the character map (All Programs > Accessories > Character Map) and select the “combining macron” from a font like Times New Roman (located at U+0304).
Click “Select” and then “Copy.”
You can paste that character on to the letters within Excel (though Word doesn’t seem to like it). To use macrons in Word, I have to do my typing in Notepad and then copy-paste. Sometimes Word (I’ve got 2007) is a stupid program!
Bonam fortūnam!
Jason
If you’re using Word, you can also open the “Insert → Symbol” window, and create a keyboard “shortcut” for each long vowel symbol. I don’t believe this works in Excel, however.