NAME

     charmap - character symbols to define character encodings

DESCRIPTION

     A character set description (charmap) defines a characterset
     of  available  characters and their encodings. All supported
     character sets should have the portable character set  as  a
     proper  subset. The portable character set is defined in the
     file /usr/lib/nls/charmap/POSIX for reference purposes.

SYNTAX

     The charmap file starts with a header, that may  consist  of
     the following keywords:

     <codeset>
          is followed by the name of the codeset.

     <mb_cur_max>
          is  followed  by  the  max  number  of  bytes   for   a
          multibyte-character.     Multibyte    characters    are
          currently not supported. The default value is 1.

     <mb_cur_min>
          is followed by the min number of bytes for a character.
          This  value  must  be less or equal than mb_cur_max. If
          not specified, it defaults to mb_cur_max.

     <escape_char>
          is followed by a character that should be used  as  the
          escape-character for the rest of the file to mark char-
          acters that should be interpreted in a special way.  It
          defaults to the backslash ( \ ).

     <comment_char>
          is followed by a character that will  be  used  as  the
          comment-character for the rest of the file. It defaults
          to the number sign ( # ).


     The charmap-definition itself starts with the keyword  CHAR-
     MAP in column 1.

     The following lines may have one of the two following  forms
     to define the character-encodings:

     <symbolic-name> <encoding> <comments>
          This for defines exactly one character and  its  encod-
          ing.


     <symbolic-name>...<symbolic-name> <encoding> <comments>
          This form defines a couple of characters. This is  only
          useful  for  mutlibyte-characters,  which are currently
          not implemented.


     The last line in a charmap-definition file must contain  END
     CHARMAP.

SYMBOLIC NAMES

     A symbolic name for a character contains only characters  of
     the  portable  character  set.  The  name  itself isenclosed
     between   angle   brackets.    Characters   following    the
     <escape_char>  are  interpreted  as itself; for example, the
     sequence '<\\\>>' represents the symbolic name '\>' enclosed
     in angle brackets.

CHARACTER ENCODING

     The encoding may be in each of the following three forms:

     <escape_char>d<number>
          with a decimal number

     <escape_char>x<number>
          with a hexadecimal number

     <escape_char><number>
          with an octal  number.

FILES

     /usr/lib/nls/charmap/*

AUTHOR

     Jochen Hein (jochen.hein@delphi.central.de)

CONFORMING TO

     POSIX.2

SEE ALSO

     setlocale(3),    localeconv(3),    locale(1),     locale(5),
     localedef(1),