KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q83275: Using Extended ASCII Characters (Not Found on Keyboard)

Article: Q83275
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

The ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) character set
used by MS-DOS contains 256 characters. Many of these characters are not located
on the computer keyboard; however, you can enter these characters by using a
different code page.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The ASCII character set consists of 256 codes or characters. The first 128 codes
represent the alphabet, numbers, punctuation, and control characters. The other
128 codes are extended characters, and include European characters, graphics,
and scientific characters. These extended characters are not represented on the
keyboard.

To enter an ASCII character that is not represented on the keyboard, do the
following:

1. At the command prompt, type:

  " [drive]\[path]\CHCP.EXE" (without the quotation marks)

  (Where [drive] specifies the drive where MS-DOS is installed, and [path]
  specifies the directory where MS-DOS is installed.)

2. The active code page is returned. See the Microsoft MS-DOS User's Guide" for
  version 5.0, 6.0, or 6.2 to find the Code Page Table for the returned code
  page.

3. Locate the character in the code page table to be displayed. The character
  has a corresponding integer value that represents its decimal equivalent.

4. At the command prompt, hold down the ALT key while typing the character's
  decimal equivalent on the numeric keypad.

  NOTE: You MUST use the number keys on the numeric keypad when typing an
  extended character key combination.

MS-DOS versions 5.0, 6.0, and 6.2 reserve characters 0 through 31 for control
characters. These characters, except numbers 20 and 21, will not be displayed
when entered from the command prompt. Characters 32 through 127 are located on
the keyboard, and characters 128 and above are extended characters.

If the above process does not enable the display of extended ASCII characters in
an MS-DOS based application, contact your hardware manufacturer to ensure that
support for these characters is provided.

REFERENCES
==========

"Microsoft MS-DOS User's Guide and Reference," version 5.0, page 632-637.

"Microsoft MS-DOS User's Guide," version 6.0 and 6.2, pages 269-276.

Additional query words: 6.22 5.00 6.00 5.00a 6.20

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS500a
Version           : MS-DOS:5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.