Chinese Windows 3.1 DBCS Character Code Conversion Utilities

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows version 3.1

SUMMARY

PRNTSCRN.COM is a terminate-stay-resident (TSR) MS-DOS program used to select and copy screen information from an application that is not based on Windows to the Windows Clipboard. PRNTSCRN.COM also performs automatic conversion from the MS-DOS DBCS code page to the Big-5 code page.

CONVERT.COM is an MS-DOS program that converts a DBCS text file from one DBCS code page to another. See the manual of Chinese Windows version 3.1 SDKE for information about the functions provided in OEM_BIG5.DLL, a Windows Dynamic Link Library (DLL) that contains functions to convert characters, strings, or buffers from Big-5 to another DBCS code page, and vice versa.

MORE INFORMATION

The prntscrn utility is contained in a single MS-DOS executable file named PRNTSCRN.COM. Note that prntscrn is an MS-DOS program, not a Windows program. When first invoked from the MS-DOS command line, prntscrn installs itself as a terminate-stay-resident (TSR) program. Subsequent invocation is via either the CTRL+SHIFT+INSERT (full-screen) or CTRL+INSERT (selected block) key combinations.

Prntscrn copies text from MS-DOS screens to the Windows Clipboard, with two important additional features: Automatic conversion from the user's DBCS MS- DOS code page to the Windows Big-5 code page.

Prntscrn works only in text mode, English or Chinese. It must be able to differentiate graphics mode from Chinese systems' text modes. If invoked when the screen is in graphics mode, Prntscrn ignores the invocation keystroke and passes it on. Prntscrn works with Windows running in Standard or Enhanced modes. It can load either before or after Windows loads.