Epson LX-86TM ESCape Code, LX-86, (ESCape) or abbreviated as ESC or <ESC

Computer and printer interaction would be terribly confusing if different kinds of computers and printers used different numbers for the same letter of the alphabet. Therefore, most manufacturers of computers, printers, and software use the American Standard Code for Information Interchange, usually referred to as ASCII (pro- nounced ASK-Key). The ASCII standard covers the decimal numbers from 0 through 127 and includes codes for printable characters (letters, punctuation, numerals, and mathematical symbols) and a few control codes, such as the codes for sounding the beeper and performing a carriage return.

Although other codes are not standardized in the computer indus- try, the ASCII system means that at least the alphabet is standardized. A programmer or engineer knows, for example, that 72 is the decimal code for a capital H and 115 is the code for a lowercase s no matter what system he or she is using.

ESCape Code

Although the original ASCII standard was designed to use the decimal numbers 0 through 127, computer and printer manufacturers soon extended this range (to 0 through 255) in order to make room for more features. On the IX-86, for example, the codes from 160 through 254 are used for italic or character graphics characters. Because even this extended range is not enough for all the features used on modern printers, the range is further extended with a special code called the Escape code. This code is often printed with the first three letters capitalized

(ESCape) or abbreviated as ESC or <ESC> .

With the ESCape code, for which decimal 27 is used, printers and computers are not restricted to only 256 instructions. The ESCape code is a signal that the next code will be a printer control code instead of text to print. For example, if the printer receives the number 69, it prints a capital E because 69 is the ASCII code for that letter. If, however, the printer receives a 27 just before the 69, it turns on emphasized mode, because ESCape “E” is the code for emphasized.

You can see how important the ESCape code is by looking at

Appendixes B and C. There you will see that nearly every code the LX-86uses is an ESCape code.

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