HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
Character Sets Every computer uses a standard or default character set. A character set is a collection of graphic and control characters. Each character is normally represented by a unique 7- or 8-bit code. The standard character set for a particular computer is used throughout that computer system. Terminals, printers, and communications controllers, as well as sort utilities, editors, compilers, and command interpreters, must agree on a standard code. The standard code for the HP 3000 is the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII). IBM computers use the Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC). SNA IMF provides automatic translation between EBCDIC, the code used over the communications line to the host, and ASCII, the code used for the terminal screen and printer buffers on the HP 3000 side. SNA IMF uses Native Language Support (NLS)translation tables to perform the ASCII-to-EBCDIC and EBCDIC-to-ASCII translations. NLS features allow the application programmer to create local language applications for end users. These features include architecture and peripheral support, as well as software facilities within the operating systems and subsystems. NLS addresses the internal functions of a program (for example, sorting) as well as the user interface (for example, message formats). NLS system utilities are available that allow you to add languages to your system, or delete them, and to modify local formats. NLS tables are available for each of the foreign languages supported by the HP 3000. These NLS tables reside on the system. For more information about NLS, refer to the Native Language Support Reference Manual.