There are three ways to write characters in a collating sequence file entry:
By typing the hexadecimal character encoding for the character. For example:
char = 0x20 ;( ) space
char = 0x3D ;(=) equals sign
By typing the character, quoted. For example:
char = “ “ ;( ) space
char = “=“ ;(=) equals sign
By typing the character itself. For example:
char = A, a
char = B, b
Table 6-3 classifies characters according to how they can be written in collating sequence file entries:
Type of character |
Can be written as hexadecimal numbers? |
Can be typed in with quotes? |
Can be typed in without quotes? |
|---|---|---|---|
Non-printable characters and characters that do not appear on the keyboard |
Yes |
No |
No |
Space (“ ”) Equals sign (“=”) Comment character Escape character List separator character |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Backslash ("\") |
Yes |
Yes, but must be doubled inside of quotes ("\\") |
No |
All other characters |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
