Question: I can't seem to be able to type in a password so that I may acquire access to #apt-get. I'm looking to update my system via terminal, but typing out my password does no good to get me into su, as the spaces stay blank, and what I know is the password won't go through. Has anyone else had this issue?

Answer: 
This answer has screenshots for Gnome-Shell (Ubuntu Gnome 13.10). I suppose it will be similar for standard Unity, but if not, please chime in. 

First of all (and this is the most common problem), **to have AltGr working you need a keyboard layout which uses it**. For example, this is my keyboard layout (Settings -> Region and Language): 

[![Screenshot: Region & Language settings](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zE3UR.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zE3UR.png)

* English (US, international with dead keys) has AltGr.
* English (US) has NO AltGr.
* English (international AltGr dead keys) has AltGr.

(My preferred layout is the third one, really). 

If the layout does not map AltGr+Key to anything, like for example the default "English (US)", AltGr **will not work** even if it's activated in the Keyboard -> Shortcuts panel. 

This is normally sufficient. To change the position of the AltGr you go to Settings -> Keyboard and set the "Alternative Characters Key":

[![Screenshot: Keyboard settings](https://i.stack.imgur.com/QNOB1.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/QNOB1.png)

For example, my keyboard has no physical AltGr key, so I mapped it to the Right Alt key.

Now with the third layout, pressing `AltGr` and `n` **together** gives ñ.

[Compose](https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ComposeKey) (the option before) is a very different beast. If you enable it, then you will have a set of characters available with three (or more) keystrokes. For example, pressing `Compose`, `o`, `e` gives œ. That's three sequential keystrokes, not together.

Take into account that there is a [bug related to the layout switching](https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-settings-daemon/+bug/1218322) in 13.10 which is being worked on, so check it if you have problems changing layout.
AltGr sounds like a lot of trouble for only a few symbols. A better choice might be the United States Alternative International keyboard. This one gives a choice of dozens of letters with diacritical marks . The k'bd is just like the standard k'bd except that the `~ ^' and the " are --dead-- keys ( delayed action ) until the next key is pressed. 
These are the accent grave, tilde, circumflex and the accent agut. Just these 5 added to all the vowels and many consonants gives dozens of extra characters . If you want to type the apostrophe by it self just hit the space bar. ( Or the quote sign ) I have Ubuntu 12.10 and it works OK. I used the instructions for Ubuntu 14.04 so I had to do some guessing but I finally got it to work.  

<http://www.wikihow.com/Change-Keyboard-Layout-in-Ubuntu>

```
  ã â ś Ḱ ç ŕ ï ḿ ĝ  ĥ â ŝ ó õ------samples

```

the 'and the v = ǘ this u with 2 marks above it ,,, wonder where it is used ?