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#### 20.8.5 Quoted Character Input

You can use the function `read-quoted-char` to ask the user to specify a character, and allow the user to specify a control or meta character conveniently, either literally or as an octal character code. The command `quoted-insert` uses this function.

Function: read-quoted-char &optional prompt

  This function is like `read-char`, except that if the first character read is an octal digit (0–7), it reads any number of octal digits (but stopping if a non-octal digit is found), and returns the character represented by that numeric character code. If the character that terminates the sequence of octal digits is `RET`, it is discarded. Any other terminating character is used as input after this function returns.

  Quitting is suppressed when the first character is read, so that the user can enter a `C-g`. See Quitting.

  If prompt is supplied, it specifies a string for prompting the user. The prompt string is always displayed in the echo area, followed by a single ‘`-`’.

  In the following example, the user types in the octal number 177 (which is 127 in decimal).

      (read-quoted-char "What character")

      ---------- Echo Area ----------
      What character 1 7 7-
      ---------- Echo Area ----------

           ⇒ 127