Double-Byte Character Set Support

Personal Communications and Communications Server support double-byte character sets (DBCS), in which each character is represented by 2 bytes. Languages such as Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, which contain more symbols than can be represented by 256 code points, require double-byte character sets. Because each character requires 2 bytes, the typing, displaying, and printing of DBCS characters require hardware and programs that support DBCS.

Where information applies specifically to DBCS, it is noted in this information unit.

ASCII refers to PC single-byte code in this book. ASCII should be considered as JISCII in Japan.