End of file

With EOF ( e nd o f F ile) the end of a source signal, comprising a generally file or a data stream is.

In ISO-C , file and IO operations can return a value that corresponds to the symbolic EOF, indicating that the end has been reached. The actual value is often −1, but this is system-dependent.

In Unix , an EOF can be produced via the interactive shell ( Unix shell ) using Strg+ D(conventional standard). Strg+ DCorresponds to the ASCII - control character End of transmission ( EOT ) 0x04. In Microsoft's DOS , an EOF is generated using Strg+ Z. Historically, Microsoft DOS actually added the ASCII control character SUB 0x1A ( Strg+ Z) to the end of a text file . Otherwise the compatibility with older systems (e.g. CP / M ) could not have been guaranteed. AmigaDOS uses Strg+ \, which corresponds to the ASCII control character File Separator 0x1C.

In the job control language of mainframe environments , entries via the standard input SYSIN are completed with "/ *" and the end of the job with "/ &".