Re: [OT] What is DEL for?

From: DougEwell2@cs.com
Date: Wed Feb 21 2001 - 11:48:30 EST


In a message dated 2001-02-21 07:03:46 Pacific Standard Time,
marco.cimarosti@essetre.it writes:

> What is the function of ASCII control code 0x7F (DEL) in text interchange?
>
> Particularly, what effect or interpretation might it have in communication
> protocols, terminal protocols and, especially, inside text files?

You have probably already tested this, but in Windows text editors (even
Word) it simply displays as a box. In MS-DOS, the TYPE command displays the
glyph associated with U+2302 HOUSE (a.k.a. INVERTED HOME PLATE). I don't
know if this would be different using the ANSI X3.64 emulator (ANSI.SYS).

Actually, I wasn't expecting this. I tested a file containing the text
"ABC*DEF" (where * = DEL) and expected that at least one process would
display "ABDEF" where the DEL character had deleted the C. I guess this
means that on Microsoft operating systems, DEL is treated just like any other
character (although a glyph may not be available).

-Doug Ewell
 Fullerton, California



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