Key-code outputting apparatus for data processor having an

Abstract

This invention provides a key-code outputting apparatus for a data processor of the type wherein two or more kinds of characters are assigned to each key of a keyboard connected to the data processor, and different kinds of characters can be inputted from one key by using a character input mode or by using conjointly a function key and a shift key. The key-code outputting apparatus includes a memory for managing a correspondence for each character input mode so that a key-code generated by a key address of the same character inputted from a keyboard of a different kind becomes the same as a key-code generated by the key address inputted from a keyboard having a key arrangement assumed by a data processing program. The key-code outputting apparatus judges the kind of the keyboard, then judges the character input mode used by the data processing program, reads out the key-code in the key arrangement assumed by the data processing program and indicated by the key address inputted from the keyboard on the basis of the judgement result and the correspondence and outputs it to the data processing program. As a result, a correct key-code can be applied to the data processing program even when the key arrangement of the keyboard connected to the data processor is different from the key arrangement assumed by the data processing program inside the data processor.