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␐

symbol for data link escape

Data Link Escape symbol

␐ is the visible control picture for DLE (“data link escape”), a communication control that changes how a following character is read. In a technical communication log, it marks protocol notation; the sign is distinct from the nonprinting control character sent over the link.

Text symbol
Search it as
DLE · data link escape · DLE byte · control picture · ASCII · U+2410 · 2410
Shows up in
Anything that takes text · its shape is whatever your font draws

What ␐ means

It marks DLE, or data link escape. DLE is a communication control: a protocol uses it to give the following character a control meaning. The exact instruction depends on the protocol.

In the ASCII-1963 to ASCII-1967 transition, DLE goes from unassigned to assigned. ␐ is the visible stand-in used to show that nonprinting character.

Technical notation in protocol traces and control-character documentation.

Is ␐ the same as the DLE byte? No: ␐ is a visible label; the data link carries the nonprinting control character.

Don't confuse it with

4
␛
Symbol For Escape
shares “escape”, “for”, “symbol”
␀
Symbol For Null
shares “for”, “symbol”
␁
Symbol For Start Of Heading
shares “for”, “symbol”
␂
Symbol For Start Of Text
shares “for”, “symbol”

Combination ideas

1
In IBM Bisync, DLE EOT requests disconnection on a switched (dial-up) line.

Questions people ask

1

Why does ␐ show as a box on some devices?

Because that device's fonts have no glyph for it. The character is still correct and still copies correctly — the box is a missing glyph, not a broken character.

How to type ␐

Windows (Word)
Alt+XType 2410, then Alt+X to get ␐.
Windows
Win+Rrun charmap for the full table, or use the emoji picker's Ω symbols tab (Win + .).
macOS
Control+Command+SpaceOpen the character viewer and search “symbol for data link escape”.
Linux
Ctrl+Shift+UType 2410, then Enter or Space.
HTML
␐
CSS
\2410
How to type ␐
In source code that accepts Unicode escapes, enter \u2410; keyboard shortcuts vary by app.
Codes and encoding1 code points
HTML decimal
␐
HTML hex
␐
CSS content
content: "\2410";
Each escape is closed by the next backslash; a trailing space is needed before a literal hex digit.
URL encoded
%E2%90%90
1
On screen
1
Code points
1
JS .length
3
UTF-8 bytes

A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.

Families this belongs to

1

Control pictures55 symbols

␀␁␂␃␄␅␆␇␈␉␊␋