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Multinational Character Set

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The Multinational Character Set (DMCS or MCS) is a character encoding created in 1983 by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) for use in the popular VT220 terminal. It was an 8-bit extension of ASCII that added accented characters, currency symbols, and other character glyphs missing from 7-bit ASCII. It is only one of the code pages implemented for the VT220 National Replacement Character Set (NRCS).[1][2] MCS is registered as IBM code page 1100 (Multinational Emulation) since 1992.[3]

Such "extended ASCII" sets were common (the National Replacement Character Set provided sets for more than a dozen European languages), but MCS has the distinction of being the ancestor of ECMA-94 in 1985[4] and ISO 8859-1 in 1987.[5]

The code chart of MCS with ECMA-94, ISO 8859-1 and the first 256 code points of Unicode have many more similarities than differences. In addition to unused code points, differences from ISO 8859-1 are:

MCS code point Unicode mapping Character
0xA8 U+00A4 ¤
0xD7 U+0152 Œ
0xDD U+0178 Ÿ
0xF7 U+0153 œ
0xFD U+00FF ÿ

Codepage layout

In the following table, code points that differ from ISO/IEC 8859-1 are shown boxed.

  Letter  Number  Punctuation  Symbol  Other  Undefined

DEC Multinational Character Set[6][7][3]
_0 _1 _2 _3 _4 _5 _6 _7 _8 _9 _A _B _C _D _E _F
0_ Template:Chset-color-ctrl|NUL
0000
0
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SOH
0001
1
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|STX
0002
2
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ETX
0003
3
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|EOT
0004
4
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ENQ
0005
5
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ACK
0006
6
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|BEL
0007
7
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|BS
0008
8
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|HT
0009
9
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|LF
000A
10
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|VT
000B
11
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|FF
000C
12
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|CR
000D
13
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SO
000E
14
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SI
000F
15
1_ Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DLE
0010
16
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DC1
0011
17
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DC2
0012
18
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DC3
0013
19
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DC4
0014
20
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|NAK
0015
21
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SYN
0016
22
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ETB
0017
23
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|CAN
0018
24
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|EM
0019
25
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SUB
001A
26
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ESC
001B
27
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|FS
001C
28
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|GS
001D
29
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|RS
001E
30
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|US
001F
31
2_ Template:Chset-color-punct|SP
0020
32
Template:Chset-color-punct|!
0021
33
Template:Chset-color-punct|"
0022
34
Template:Chset-color-punct|#
0023
35
Template:Chset-color-punct|$
0024
36
Template:Chset-color-punct|%
0025
37
Template:Chset-color-punct|&
0026
38
Template:Chset-color-punct|'
0027
39
Template:Chset-color-punct|(
0028
40
Template:Chset-color-punct|)
0029
41
Template:Chset-color-punct|*
002A
42
Template:Chset-color-punct|+
002B
43
Template:Chset-color-punct|,
002C
44
Template:Chset-color-punct|-
002D
45
Template:Chset-color-punct|.
002E
46
Template:Chset-color-punct|/
002F
47
3_ Template:Chset-color-digit|0
0030
48
Template:Chset-color-digit|1
0031
49
Template:Chset-color-digit|2
0032
50
Template:Chset-color-digit|3
0033
51
Template:Chset-color-digit|4
0034
52
Template:Chset-color-digit|5
0035
53
Template:Chset-color-digit|6
0036
54
Template:Chset-color-digit|7
0037
55
Template:Chset-color-digit|8
0038
56
Template:Chset-color-digit|9
0039
57
Template:Chset-color-punct|:
003A
58
Template:Chset-color-punct|;
003B
59
Template:Chset-color-punct|<
003C
60
Template:Chset-color-punct|=
003D
61
Template:Chset-color-punct|>
003E
62
Template:Chset-color-punct|?
003F
63
4_ Template:Chset-color-punct|@
0040
64
Template:Chset-color-alpha|A
0041
65
Template:Chset-color-alpha|B
0042
66
Template:Chset-color-alpha|C
0043
67
Template:Chset-color-alpha|D
0044
68
Template:Chset-color-alpha|E
0045
69
Template:Chset-color-alpha|F
0046
70
Template:Chset-color-alpha|G
0047
71
Template:Chset-color-alpha|H
0048
72
Template:Chset-color-alpha|I
0049
73
Template:Chset-color-alpha|J
004A
74
Template:Chset-color-alpha|K
004B
75
Template:Chset-color-alpha|L
004C
76
Template:Chset-color-alpha|M
004D
77
Template:Chset-color-alpha|N
004E
78
Template:Chset-color-alpha|O
004F
79
5_ Template:Chset-color-alpha|P
0050
80
Template:Chset-color-alpha|Q
0051
81
Template:Chset-color-alpha|R
0052
82
Template:Chset-color-alpha|S
0053
83
Template:Chset-color-alpha|T
0054
84
Template:Chset-color-alpha|U
0055
85
Template:Chset-color-alpha|V
0056
86
Template:Chset-color-alpha|W
0057
87
Template:Chset-color-alpha|X
0058
88
Template:Chset-color-alpha|Y
0059
89
Template:Chset-color-alpha|Z
005A
90
Template:Chset-color-punct|[
005B
91
Template:Chset-color-punct|\
005C
92
Template:Chset-color-punct|]
005D
93
Template:Chset-color-punct|^
005E
94
Template:Chset-color-punct|_
005F
95
6_ Template:Chset-color-punct|`
0060
96
Template:Chset-color-alpha|a
0061
97
Template:Chset-color-alpha|b
0062
98
Template:Chset-color-alpha|c
0063
99
Template:Chset-color-alpha|d
0064
100
Template:Chset-color-alpha|e
0065
101
Template:Chset-color-alpha|f
0066
102
Template:Chset-color-alpha|g
0067
103
Template:Chset-color-alpha|h
0068
104
Template:Chset-color-alpha|i
0069
105
Template:Chset-color-alpha|j
006A
106
Template:Chset-color-alpha|k
006B
107
Template:Chset-color-alpha|l
006C
108
Template:Chset-color-alpha|m
006D
109
Template:Chset-color-alpha|n
006E
110
Template:Chset-color-alpha|o
006F
111
7_ Template:Chset-color-alpha|p
0070
112
Template:Chset-color-alpha|q
0071
113
Template:Chset-color-alpha|r
0072
114
Template:Chset-color-alpha|s
0073
115
Template:Chset-color-alpha|t
0074
116
Template:Chset-color-alpha|u
0075
117
Template:Chset-color-alpha|v
0076
118
Template:Chset-color-alpha|w
0077
119
Template:Chset-color-alpha|x
0078
120
Template:Chset-color-alpha|y
0079
121
Template:Chset-color-alpha|z
007A
122
Template:Chset-color-punct|{
007B
123
Template:Chset-color-punct||
007C
124
Template:Chset-color-punct|}
007D
125
Template:Chset-color-punct|~
007E
126
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DEL
007F
127
8_ Template:Chset-color-ctrl-box| Template:Chset-color-ctrl-box| Template:Chset-color-ctrl-box| Template:Chset-color-ctrl-box| Template:Chset-color-ctrl|IND
0084
132
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|NEL
0085
133
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SSA
0086
134
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ESA
0087
135
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|HTS
0088
136
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|HTJ
0089
137
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|VTS
008A
138
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|PLD
008B
139
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|PLU
008C
140
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|RI
008D
141
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SS2
008E
142
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SS3
008F
143
9_ Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DCS
0090
144
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|PU1
0091
145
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|PU2
0092
146
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|STS
0093
147
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|CCH
0094
148
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|MW
0095
149
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SPA
0096
150
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|EPA
0097
151
Template:Chset-color-ctrl-box| Template:Chset-color-ctrl-box| Template:Chset-color-ctrl-box| Template:Chset-color-ctrl|CSI
009B
155
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ST
009C
156
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|OSC
009D
157
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|PM
009E
158
Template:Chset-color-ctrl|APC
009F
159
A_ Template:Chset-color-undef-box| Template:Chset-color-punct|¡
00A1
161
Template:Chset-color-punct|¢
00A2
162
Template:Chset-color-punct|£
00A3
163
Template:Chset-color-punct-box| Template:Chset-color-punct|¥
00A5
165
Template:Chset-color-punct-box| Template:Chset-color-punct|§
00A7
167
Template:Chset-color-punct-box|¤
00A4
168
Template:Chset-color-punct|©
00A9
169
Template:Chset-color-punct|ª
00AA
170
Template:Chset-color-punct|«
00AB
171
Template:Chset-color-punct-box| Template:Chset-color-punct-box| Template:Chset-color-punct-box| Template:Chset-color-punct-box|
B_ Template:Chset-color-punct|°
00B0
176
Template:Chset-color-punct|±
00B1
177
Template:Chset-color-punct|²
00B2
178
Template:Chset-color-punct|³
00B3
179
Template:Chset-color-punct-box| Template:Chset-color-punct|µ
00B5
181
Template:Chset-color-punct|
00B6
182
Template:Chset-color-punct|·
00B7
183
Template:Chset-color-punct-box| Template:Chset-color-punct|¹
00B9
185
Template:Chset-color-punct|º
00BA
186
Template:Chset-color-punct|»
00BB
187
Template:Chset-color-punct|¼
00BC
188
Template:Chset-color-punct|½
00BD
189
Template:Chset-color-punct-box| Template:Chset-color-punct|¿
00BF
191
C_ Template:Chset-color-intl|À
00C0
192
Template:Chset-color-intl|Á
00C1
193
Template:Chset-color-intl|Â
00C2
194
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ã
00C3
195
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ä
00C4
196
Template:Chset-color-intl|Å
00C5
197
Template:Chset-color-intl|Æ
00C6
198
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ç
00C7
199
Template:Chset-color-intl|È
00C8
200
Template:Chset-color-intl|É
00C9
201
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ê
00CA
202
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ë
00CB
203
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ì
00CC
204
Template:Chset-color-intl|Í
00CD
205
Template:Chset-color-intl|Î
00CE
206
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ï
00CF
207
D_ Template:Chset-color-intl-box| Template:Chset-color-intl|Ñ
00D1
209
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ò
00D2
210
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ó
00D3
211
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ô
00D4
212
Template:Chset-color-intl|Õ
00D5
213
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ö
00D6
214
Template:Chset-color-intl-box|Œ
0152
215
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ø
00D8
216
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ù
00D9
217
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ú
00DA
218
Template:Chset-color-intl|Û
00DB
219
Template:Chset-color-intl|Ü
00DC
220
Template:Chset-color-intl-box|Ÿ
0178
221
Template:Chset-color-intl-box| Template:Chset-color-intl|ß
00DF
223
E_ Template:Chset-color-intl-box|à
00E0
224
Template:Chset-color-intl|á
00E1
225
Template:Chset-color-intl|â
00E2
226
Template:Chset-color-intl|ã
00E3
227
Template:Chset-color-intl|ä
00E4
228
Template:Chset-color-intl|å
00E5
229
Template:Chset-color-intl|æ
00E6
230
Template:Chset-color-intl|ç
00E7
231
Template:Chset-color-intl|è
00E8
232
Template:Chset-color-intl|é
00E9
233
Template:Chset-color-intl|ê
00EA
234
Template:Chset-color-intl|ë
00EB
235
Template:Chset-color-intl|ì
00EC
236
Template:Chset-color-intl|í
00ED
237
Template:Chset-color-intl|î
00EE
238
Template:Chset-color-intl|ï
00EF
239
F_ Template:Chset-color-intl-box| Template:Chset-color-intl|ñ
00F1
241
Template:Chset-color-intl|ò
00F2
242
Template:Chset-color-intl|ó
00F3
243
Template:Chset-color-intl|ô
00F4
244
Template:Chset-color-intl|õ
00F5
245
Template:Chset-color-intl|ö
00F6
246
Template:Chset-color-intl-box|œ
0153
247
Template:Chset-color-intl|ø
00F8
248
Template:Chset-color-intl|ù
00F9
249
Template:Chset-color-intl|ú
00FA
250
Template:Chset-color-intl|û
00FB
251
Template:Chset-color-intl|ü
00FC
252
Template:Chset-color-intl-box|ÿ
00FF
253
Template:Chset-color-intl-box| Template:Chset-color-undef-box|
_0 _1 _2 _3 _4 _5 _6 _7 _8 _9 _A _B _C _D _E _F

See also

References

  1. ^ "VT220 Programmer Reference Manual" (2 ed.). Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). 1984 [1983].
  2. ^ "TinyTERM Emulator — National Replacement Character Set (NRCS)". Century Software. Archived from the original on 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2016-12-01. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) [sic]
  3. ^ a b "SBCS code page information - CPGID: 01100 / Name: Multinational Emulation". IBM Software: Globalization: Coded character sets and related resources: Code pages by CPGID: Code page identifiers. 1. IBM. 1992-10-01. Archived from the original on 2016-12-02. Retrieved 2016-12-02. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 2016-12-03 suggested (help); Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) [1] [2]
  4. ^ Standard ECMA-94: 8-bit Single-Byte Coded Graphic Character Set (PDF) (1 ed.). European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA). March 1985 [1984-12-14]. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2016-12-01. […] Since 1982 the urgency of the need for an 8-bit single-byte coded character set was recognized in ECMA as well as in ANSI/X3L2 and numerous working papers were exchanged between the two groups. In February 1984 ECMA TC1 submitted to ISO/TC97/SC2 a proposal for such a coded character set. At its meeting of April 1984 SC decided to submit to TC97 a proposal for a new item of work for this topic. Technical discussions during and after this meeting led TC1 to adopt the coding scheme proposed by X3L2. Part 1 of Draft International Standard DTS 8859 is based on this joint ANSI/ECMA proposal. […] Adopted as an ECMA Standard by the General Assembly of Dec. 13–14, 1984. […] {{cite book}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 2016-12-02 suggested (help); Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Czyborra, Roman (1998). "ISO 8859-1 and MCS". ISO 8859 Alphabet Soup. Archived from the original on 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2016-12-01. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) [3] [4]
  6. ^ "VT220 Programmer Reference Manual". Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). Table 2-3: DEC Multinational Character Set (C1 and GR Codes). Retrieved 2016-12-02. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ VAX/VMS User's Manual. Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). April 1986. AI-Y517A-TE.}}