Re: editing files with embedded escape characters

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Andy Young <ayoung@iolon.com>
> Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 10:58:12 -0700
> 
> I have a C program file with several escape characters embedded in
> strings that are sent to a printer (PCL control codes.)  When I edit
> the file with emacs it displays most all the characters after an
> encountered escape using boxes.  Strangely, its not the first
> encountered escape sequence that triggers this behavior.
> Additionally, there is a "J" in the mode line when I edit this file:
> [ hand typed]
> -J:-- lots.cc (C++ CVS-1.2)--L26--Bot------------------------------

Type "M-x find-file-literally RET lots.cc RET", and then put this at
the file's first line:

//  -*- coding: raw-text -*-

Then save the buffer, kill it, and visit lots.cc as usual (with 
"C-x C-f" etc.).  You should now see all your escape sequences
verbatim.

The reason for the strange behavior you see is that Emacs by default
interprets the escape sequences as encoded Japanese characters.  The
above line tells it that the text in this file includes some raw
non-printable characters, not encoded non-ASCII text.