o x 27 = o 1 x 26 = 64 0x 25 = o 0x 24 n o 1 x 23 = 8 0x 22 =0
1 x 2’ = 2 ox 2° = Q
74Decimal
zone digits
0100 1010 Binary
4 A Hexadecimal
The ASCII table in the TechnicalSupplementshows all these equivalent representationsfor the symbolsyour laser printer understands.The table organizesthemin ascendingorder.In fact,ASCIIis organizedin a way that ac@allymakessense.
Flip back therefor a quicklook rightnow. See how you can slicethe table into clumps of 16 or 32, based on what’s in the zone portion under the hexadecimalcolumn?These clumpsmake subgroupsof similarsymbols:
●hex 00 to IF are the commandsymbolscalledcontrolcodes,
●hex 20 to 40 arc the commonkeyboardsymbolsand numerals,
●hex 41 to 60 are capitallettersand the less commonkeyboardsymbols,
●hex’61to 7F are lowercaselettersand a few final symbols.
That takes care of the first 128 ASCII symbols. However,nearly every co’mputerand printer manufacturertreats the second half of the table differently.
Control codes
TheASCIItableshowssymbolslikeJor2 thewaytheyactuallyprinton the laser printer.But ASCIIincludesmore thanjust printablecharacters:none of the controlcode commandsat the beginningof the table actuallyprint. Instead, when your computersends a control code to the laser printer it makes yourprinterdo other things,such as soundits bccpcr.
7
