── ESCAPE ── HEXADECIMAL ─┬───────────────────────────────────────┬────┤
├─ ? ───────────────────────────────────┤
├─ NONE ────────────────────────────────┤
├─ . ───────────────────────────────────┤
└─ = ──<special character>─┬────────────┤
└─ SQUASHED ─┘Explanation
The ESCAPE command sets or resets the hexadecimal escape character. The assigned character can be a special character that is used to delimit a sequence of EBCDIC hexadecimal values for nonprintable characters. Any EBCDIC internal code that does not represent an alphanumeric character, a special character, or a blank represents a nonprintable character. Refer to Basic Constructs for the list of valid special characters.
Because nonprintable characters cannot be directly entered or displayed in a file that is being edited, they are represented by the corresponding EBCDIC hexadecimal values. When entering nonprintable characters into a file, the EBCDIC hexadecimal values must be delimited with the hexadecimal escape character. The EBCDIC hexadecimal values of those nonprintable characters are displayed with the hexadecimal escape character delimiters when the file is listed.
While the hexadecimal escape character is set, each nonprintable character is displayed in its corresponding 2-digit EBCDIC hexadecimal value, with single blank spaces before and after it. The value, including the spaces, is delimited by the hexadecimal escape character. If two or more nonprintable characters appear as a string—that is, with no printable characters between them—the entire string is delimited by the hexadecimal escape character; single blank spaces appear between each hexadecimal value, as well as before and after the string. Printable characters appear as they are entered.
For example, suppose you enter into a file the text string ABC, followed by the nonprintable characters end-of-text (ETX) and line feed (LF), followed by the text string def, and the hexadecimal escape character is the at sign (@); the resulting series of text and nonprintable characters is displayed as follows:
ABC@ 03 25 @def
The ETX and LF characters are represented by the EBCDIC hexadecimal values 03 and 25, respectively, and the at sign (@) delimits these nonprintable characters.
The EBCDIC hexadecimal values A to F must be entered in uppercase letters.
ESCAPE HEXADECIMAL can be abbreviated as ESC HEX.
ESCAPE HEX
ESCAPE HEX ?
When the ESCAPE HEX or ESCAPE HEX ? form of the command is entered, CANDE displays the currently set hexadecimal escape character. If an escape character is not set, then the following message is displayed:
#NO ESCAPE HEXADECIMAL CHARACTER DEFINED
ESCAPE HEX NONE
ESCAPE HEX.
When the ESCAPE HEX NONE or ESCAPE HEX. form of the command is entered, the hexadecimal escape character is reset. Note that you must define a hexadecimal escape character if you want to insert nonprintable characters into a file and display their EBCDIC hexadecimal values.
If a hexadecimal escape character is not defined and a file contains nonprintable characters, then those nonprintable characters are sent to the terminal when the file is displayed. It is recommended that you define a hexadecimal escape character because terminal communication can be adversely affected if the hexadecimal escape character is not set and the system attempts to display a file containing data comm control characters.
ESCAPE HEX = <special character>
When the ESCAPE HEX = <special character> form of the command is entered, the character indicated is set as the escape character for hexadecimal values. Note that the semicolon (;) cannot be set as a hexadecimal escape character.
To prevent confusion, avoid setting the hexadecimal escape character to a character that is used frequently in a file and is subject to display. If a character is used in a file and that character is also defined as the hexadecimal escape character, then you must enter that character twice for each time it should occur in the file.
For instance, if the dollar sign ($) is defined as the hexadecimal escape character, and the dollar sign must be entered in the file, then two dollars signs must be entered and both dollar signs are displayed. Suppose you want to enter the following line in a file:
A compiler control record begins with a $ in column one.
When the dollar sign is set as the hexadecimal escape character, you must enter the line as follows. Both dollar signs are also displayed.
A compiler control record begins with a $$ in column one.
ESCAPE HEX = <special character> SQUASHED
The ESCAPE HEX = <special character> SQUASHED form of the command strips the blank spaces from between the hexadecimal values of the nonprintable characters. This option is useful for displaying a file in CANDE page mode because a line with hexadecimal values is not wider when it is displayed than it is when it is entered. The displayed line is therefore less likely to exceed the terminal line width and be truncated.
The SQUASHED option is reset whenever the hexadecimal escape character is reset or whenever the hexadecimal escape character is set without the use of the SQUASHED option.
Examples
ESCAPE HEX #NO ESCAPE HEXADECIMAL CHARACTER DEFINED ESCAPE HEX = @ #ESCAPE HEXADECIMAL = @ ESCAPE HEX ? #ESCAPE HEXADECIMAL = @ MAKE TEMP #WORKFILE TEMP: SEQ 100SAMPLE TEXT @0074@ SOME MORE TEXT 200 @ 03 @ LIST 100 SAMPLE TEXT @ 00 74 @ SOME MORE TEXT 200 @ 03 @ # 300ENTER AT SIGN @@ LIST 100 SAMPLE TEXT @ 00 74 @ SOME MORE TEXT 200 @ 30 @ 300 ENTER AT SIGN @@ # ESCAPE HEX = @ SQUASHED LIST TEMP 100 SAMPLE TEXT @0074@ SOME MORE TEXT 200 @30@ 300 ENTER AT SIGN @@ # ESCAPE HEX NONE #NO ESCAPE HEXADECIMAL CHARACTER DEFINED
