function try_char (uni, ch, diacr) 
    { 
    var ip = app.selection[0]; 
    var pos = ip_position (app.selection[0]); 
    try 
        { 
        // insert the character 
        ip.contents = uni; 
        // create outline 
        ip.paragraphs[0].characters[pos].createOutlines(); 
        // if we got here it worked, so delete the outline 
        ip.paragraphs[0].characters[pos].remove(); 
        // insert the character (again) 
        ip.contents = uni; 
        exit(); 
        } 
    catch(_) 
        { 
        // couldn't create outline, so delete it 
        ip.paragraphs[0].characters[pos].remove(); 
        // and create overstrike of ch and diacr 
        overstrike (stripdot (ch), diacr) 
        } 
    }