A new year's puzzle, difference between "/" and "/"

[Sam Capricci]

so here is an interesting puzzle and I really don't have an answer...
I have somewhere in a password "/" (without the quotes) and it was entered from the keyboard beside the shift key.
When I enter my password if I use the "/" (without the quotes) from the numbers section of my keyboard above the #8 I get "password is incorrect" but if I use the one beside my shift key no problem. If I use either in a formula I get the same results (there is no difference - they work the same).
I tried both in excel and they both return code 47. At least one of them also appear to be char 47.
Any thoughts on why the two don't match, what is different about them OR is it something else?

[shg]

That surprises me a bit; it sounds like the password checker is looking at keycodes rather than characters (vbKeyDivide, 0x6F, versus the garden-variety 0x2F)

[Sam Capricci]

I think you are right because when I change passwords our system updates the passwords to all applications that require a password and one of the systems I went into accepted the / from the number keyboard so I think that means there is no difference. It must be keycode related instead (though I am not knowledgable about keycodes so I'm taking your word for it).

[shg]

See VBA help for keycode constants

[Doc.AElstein]

Hi,
Interesting, maybe something here explains a problem I have occasionally:
The _ / _ is one of a few characters that give unexpected and inconsistent effects on my computer.


A couple of things I notice:
_ Sometime it just stops working. I then have to “find” one somewhere and copy and paste to get the character. It does not necessarily stop working everywhere. ( The copy and paste always works )

_ Often if I go into the “Old computer black screen type command box thingy bob” by the route: _ click bottom left on Microsoft symbol -- type in cmd in small window – Hit Enter _ , then using the _ / _ Key combination ( By me that is Shift+7 ) , gives me a different character. In those situations, a few keys and key combinations give the wrong characters. In those situations I have experimented with a lot of keys and key combinations and was not yet able to find any that gave me a _ /
I just started recently using a different route to get the “Old computer black screen type command box thingy bob” ( http://www.eileenslounge.com/viewtop...=28682#p222046 ). That has not shown up those problems yet, even on occasions when I have the problem with the first route.

Possibly my problem lies in the _ / _ key being “taken” or looked at differently by different things..

( I have mostly German keyboards. I think there is not much difference to the English, apart from the extra Ü Ö Ä stuff )

Dave

[Sam Capricci]

Thanks Dave for adding to the discussion as it takes another interesting turn.

[Glenn Kennedy]

I've seen the same thing as Dave's first comment. I'll check out the password thing... once I identify a password with an / in it..

[CK76]

I've had this issue a few times. I've traced it down to Installed services under "Text Services and Input Languages" in my case.

Which is found in Control Panel ->Region and Language->Change keyboards and other input methods.

Canada being "bilingual", many computer comes by default English and French input methods.
Couldn't pinpoint exact action, but sometimes without intent, keyboard input method changed from one to the other.
This caused several character mapping on keyboard to change from what I'm used to and caused issues.
Edit: Oddly enough, it changed between different input fields at times (i.e. form entry browser had English, then French on another program I was running).

I've since removed French input from my setting, and haven't had an issue since.