Pause (keyboard)

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Break / pause button

The key Pauseis located on a PC - Computer keyboard usually right next to the buttons Druck(English: Print Screen) and Rollen(English: Scroll Lock) and is used on its own to stop, in combination with Strg(English: Ctrl), however, for aborting computer programs .

The function of the key combination Strg+ Pauseis indicated by the second label Untbr(English / Swiss:) that can usually be found on the key Break. A few computers have their own Untbrkey on their keyboard for this purpose .

On other computers, especially notebooks with a reduced keyboard, both functions are implemented by different key combinations , often with the Fnkey, which can vary depending on the computer; usually the functions are printed on the corresponding keys.

On IBM-compatible keyboards with PS / 2 or DIN interface , the Pausekey is the only key that does not generate a scan code at all when released . No software on the computer can therefore detect whether the Pausekey is being held down or not. When pressed, the key sends a longer scan code sequence, which essentially corresponds to pressing and releasing the key combination Strg+ Num, supplemented by additional 0xE1 scan codes; This is so because on the oldest PC keyboards that did not have their own Pausekey, the pause function could actually be reached by entering Strg+ Num. The combination Strg+ Pause(= Untbr) sends scan codes that are similar to the combination Strg+ Rollen, because this is how the cancel function was achieved on the oldest keyboards.

meaning

The pause or break / break key is a relic on the computer keyboard. In most of the PC applications used today, the pause button is of little or no importance, but it is still needed in certain situations.

The Pausestart of the BIOS can be interrupted with the key and continued with any key. In addition to DOS - batch - files by typing Strg+ Pausebe terminated. Also in programming languages such as B. BASIC or Pascal , this key combination (or the independent Untbrkey) has an important meaning, as programs tested with it can be prematurely aborted, for example in the event of endless loops or other problems. It is also used in many games to pause or pause the game.

If you are in a command line environment , the key combination Strg+ is often Crecognized as a signal to cancel. Under MS-DOS , Strg+ Pausediffers from Strg+ Cin that the latter is only monitored by DOS or the application to be interrupted itself, while Strg+ is Pausemonitored directly by the keyboard driver and therefore often still works if Strg+ has Calready been disabled by an application error. This difference no longer exists with newer operating systems.

In Windows , the key enables the Pauseproperties of the workstation (system properties) to be called up if it is Windowspressed at the same time as the key.