A code or character which signals the computer that the following data or character will have a different meaning than usual, or that signals a change of mode. A precedence code may be a shift or supershift character, which will change the mode of the input until another similar precedence code is used, or it may be like a flag (which see), allowing the operator to use standard characters for command sequences. For instance, on a phototypesetter, the key sequence: "precedence code" L20 might be a command to use a leading of 20 points.
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