(Or "escape code") A series of characters starting
with the
escape character (ASCII 27). Escape sequences are
often used to control display devices such as VDUs. An
escape sequence might change the colour of subsequent text,
reassign keys on the keyboard, change printer settings or
reposition the cursor. The escape sequences of the
DEC
vt100 video terminal have become a
de facto standard for
this purpose.
The term is also used for any sequence of characters that
temporarily suspends normal processing of a stream of
characters to perform some special function. For example, the
Hayes modem uses the sequence "+++" to escape to command
mode in which characters are interpreted as commands to the
modem itself rather than as data to pass through.