LXE 1280 Reference Guide

110 

Message Format 

LDS Plus Reference Guide 

E-SW-LDSPLUSRG-G 

A control character (CTRL) specifies how a message is used and/or functions. The CTRL 
character is not displayed on the screen. 

Outbound and inbound messages have different uses for the control character:  

•  Control characters in an outbound message determine how a DOS terminal reacts to 

a message. Control characters can indicate whether the message is a form or non-
form, forced or unforced, activate multiple beeps at the DOS terminal, switch data 
entry to barcode or auxiliary input, and/or change the auto transmit buffer length.  

•  Certain outbound CTRL characters also require an additional character that is either 

a Number (N) or an Expanded Function (EF) code (N/EF). 

•  Control characters in an inbound message indicate to the host whether the message is 

a form or non-form message and if the message includes a sequence number. 

The following terms are discussed in full later in this chapter: forced and unforced forms, multiple 
beeps, auto transmit buffer length, N/EF, form or non-form and sequence numbers. 

SOL ID1  ID2 TYPE 

N/EF SEQ 

# TEXT  EOL 

Here is an example of an outbound forced, non-form message showing the location of the control 
character that enables barcode input (does not have N/EF character): 

 

 

 

 

 is an outbound control character 

that will send a forced message from 
the host computer to terminal ID 14. 

<14

Enter Part NumberC

R

L

F