^@ |
00 |
NULL |
Null |
Used to perform media-fill and allow gaps. Also used for padding after any code and to mark end of string, notably in programming language C/C++. |
^A |
01 |
STX |
Start of Header |
Used as first character of head of data broadcast/message. It is usually used as field separator in Apache Hadoop. |
^B |
02 |
SOT |
Start of Text |
Heads text and used to mark end of heading. |
^C |
03 |
ETX |
End of Text |
Marks end of text. In keyboard input, it is frequently used as Break character to interrupt process.
Notably seen in Unix based command lines, nano editor, etc. as (^C) to break command.
|
^D |
04 |
EOT |
End of Transmission |
Used to mark end of transmission of one or more texts(may involve header, broadcast text, and post-text).
It is also used to mark end-of-file(EOF) on terminal in UNIX based OS.
|
^E |
05 |
ENQ |
Enquiry |
Requests for reply from remote terminal, response may include transmitter identification and/or transmitter status. |
^F |
06 |
ACK |
Acknowledge |
This character is sent by receiver as approving response to sender. (Response to ENQ) |
^G |
07 |
ACK |
Bell |
A control character to call for attention. It may control alarm or attention devices. Initially, it was used to play bell sound on terminal. |
^H |
08 |
BS |
BackSpace |
Shifts cursor one character position behind. While in input mode this might delete character to left of cursor. When in output mode, character once written could not be deleted(Primitively). |
^I |
09 |
HT |
Horizontal Tabulation |
Shifts cursor to next determined character position on the same line. |
^J |
0A |
LF |
Line Feed |
Shifts cursor to equivalent character position of next line. It is used to mark end-of-line(EOF) in UNIX. In DOS/Windows LF is used after CR(Carriage Return) to mark end-of-line. |
^K |
0B |
VT |
Vertical Tabulation |
Shifts cursor at next line. |
^L |
0C |
FF |
Form Feed |
It commands printer to discard current page and to proceed to print at the next one.
More so, it also acts as whitespace in various programming languages,
|
^M |
0D |
CR |
Carriage Return |
Primitively used to move cursor to very first column while staying on the same line/row. In DOS, /Windows, it is used before LF to mark end-of-line(EOF). Enter/Return key corresponds to this character. |
^N |
0E |
SO |
Shift Out |
Switches to substitute character set. |
^O |
0F |
SI |
Shift In |
Reverts to general character set after Shift Out. |
^P |
10 |
DLE |
Data Link Escape |
It is used particularly to deliver additional data transmission control functions. Only graphic characters and transmission control characters can be used in DLE sequences. |
^Q |
11 |
DC1 |
Device Control 1 (XON) |
A device control character, basically dedicated to turning on or starting essential device. It might also be used to restore any device to basic mode of operation. |
^R |
12 |
DC2 |
Device Control 2 |
A device control character which is basically dedicated to turning on or starting essential device. It might also be used to set any device to special mode of operation |
^S |
13 |
DC3 |
Device Control 3 (XOFF) |
A device control character which is basically dedicated to turning off or stopping an essential device. Also acts as secondary step stop(e.g: wait, pause, stand-by or halt) |
^T |
14 |
DC4 |
Device Control 4 |
A device control character, basically dedicated to turning off al device. It might also be used for any device control purpose not granted by other DCs. |
^U |
15 |
NAK |
Negative acknowledge |
A control character sent by receiver as negative acknowledgment/response to transmitter. NAK also indicates that an error was identified in last received block. |
^V |
16 |
SYN |
Synchronous Idle |
Used by synchronous transmission network to provide signal from which synchronous rectification may be achieved between data terminal equipment |
^W |
17 |
ETB |
End of Transmission Block |
marks end of transmission segment of data (where data is divided into such segments for transmission) |
^X |
18 |
CAN |
Cancel |
Indicates that data preceding it is in error. Hence, data is to be ignored. |
^Y |
19 |
EM |
End of Medium |
A control character that can be used to find physical end of medium or end of wanted portion of data. |
^Z |
1A |
SUB |
Substitute |
Used as an alternative for character that has been detected to be invalid or in error. On Unix, ^Z is keyboard signal to suspend process. In DOS/Windows, it is used to mark end of file, in cmd terminal, text files and many scripts. |
^[ |
1B |
ESC |
Escape |
Esc key corresponds to this control character on almost every operating system. Used in many interface to escape from screen, menu, or process., |
^\ |
1C |
FS |
File Separator |
Used to separate data logically, its specific purpose has to be defined for each application. When used in hierarchical order, it delimits data item called file. |
^] |
1D |
GS |
Group Separator |
Used to separate data logically; its specific purpose has to be defined for each application. When used in hierarchical order, it delimits data item called group. |
^^ |
1E |
RS |
Record Separator |
Used to separate data logically; its specific purpose has to be defined for each application. When used in hierarchical order, it delimits data item called record. |
^_ |
1F |
US |
Unit Separator |
Used to separate data logically; its specific purpose has to be defined for each application. When used in hierarchical order, it delimits data item called unit. |
|
20 |
SP |
Space |
Space is graphic character. Shifts cursor to move by one character position. |
^? |
7F |
DEL |
Delete |
The delete control character is last character in ASCII repertoire. It was designed to erase incorrect characters. |