Q. What do you understand by Scan Codes?

A scan code is a code produced by a microprocessor in keyboard when a key is pressed and is unique to key struck. When this code is received by computer it reports an interrupt and looks up scan code table in BIOS and realize which keys have been pressed and in what combination. Special memory locations known as status bytes tell the status of locking and toggle keys for example Caps lock etc. Every key press produces two different scan codes - one on key-push down known as Make code and another on its popping back known as Break code. This two-key scheme enables the computer to tell when a key is held pressed down for example ALT key when pressing another key say CTRL-ALT-DEL.