The term "carriage control character" refers to a non-printable control character that is used in computing and telecommunications systems to control the horizontal movement of a physical or virtual character output device, such as a printer or display screen.
The carriage control character, also known as a control function character, is usually represented by a sequence of bits or bytes that are transmitted or stored along with the text or data being processed. It serves as a signal to the device to perform specific actions related to the positioning of the next character.
In the context of printers, the carriage control character is utilized to control the movement of the print head or the printing mechanism. It instructs the device to perform actions such as moving the print head to the beginning of a new line, advancing to the next line, or even returning to the leftmost position on the same line. This allows for the proper alignment and formatting of the printed text or characters.
For computer screens or displays, the carriage control character is used to control the cursor or pointer's movement. It determines whether the cursor should move to the next line, stay on the current line, or return to the beginning of the line. By using carriage control characters, the arrangement and positioning of characters on the screen can be efficiently managed, providing a visually cohesive and organized display.
Overall, carriage control characters play a critical role in ensuring proper formatting and positioning of text or data on output devices, enhancing the readability and structure of information displayed or printed.
