does anyone know how to insert UNICODE characters into an MS MakeCode text string?
Or do I have to use python/mu?
I’m asking because as the capital letter X looks stupid as its only 4 leds wide! It should be 5 to make a good X!
update: I’ve worked out how to insert characters using the ALT+number method but can I find a complete list of numbers/characters? nope! I’ve tried using the windows character map but its as much use as a bull in a milking parlour!
In unicode I found
2573 ╳ BOX DRAWINGS LIGHT DIAGONAL CROSS
→ 2613 ☓ saltire
→ 2715 ✕ multiplication x
but the numbers are in hex
If I type ALT+2573 I get ♪
If I convert to Dec and type ALT+9587 I get s
ideas welcome
When using MakeCode the micro:bit is limited to the characters available in the DAL- which I believe is just ASCII - https://github.com/lancaster-university/microbit-dal/blob/74d39eab26d443679ad83605adf7ebc9a59bd37f/source/core/MicroBitFont.cpp
I suspect you’ll not have much better luck in Python since without a table to map Unicode characters to the correct pattern of LEDs (and the micro:bit is reaaaallly short on space to store such a thing) there’s no way to display the character.
TLDR: unicode is impossible on the micro:bit but you might be able to write some hacky Python to display some characters - pixel by pixel.