1. A multi-character display controller for use in a text recorder of the kind having: (1) a text display means for displaying character sequences; (2) keyboard means including a plurality of keys each producing a coded signal representing said key when actuated by an operator; and (3) decoder means for receiving coded signals from said keyboard means and for supplying corresponding drive signals for at least some of said keys to said text display means, wherein said multi-character display controller includes: mode means for producing a mode signal having normal and multi-character mode states to control an operating mode of said controller as either a normal or multi-character mode, said mode means responsive to operation action to alter said operating mode from a prior operating mode to a new operating mode and to maintain said new operating mode until further operator action, first means, responsive to said mode signal in a multi-character mode state for nullifying the normal response of said decoder means to at least a subset of said coded signals, and auxiliary means and storage means associated with said auxiliary means, said storage means retrievably storing signals representing preselected character sequences at locations corresponding to respective coded signals of said subset, said auxiliary means responsive to said mode signal in a multi-character mode state and to said storage means for supplying to said text display means drive signals representing a preselected character sequence corresponding to that defined by signals read from said storage means, in which said decoder means includes a function means for correlating at least some of said coded signals with associated drive signals and wherein said storage means includes: first memory means addressed by said coded signals including an entry for at least each of said coded signals in said subset, counter means responsive to said first memory means for storing signals representing said entry, second memory means addressed by said counter means including an entry for each of said coded signals in said subset, a first sub-entry located at a location designated by an entry from said first memory means, each said entry including a stop code as a final sub-entry, control means responsive to said second memory means for incrementing said counter means each time an output is produced by said second memory means, said control means responsive to a stop code read from said second memory means for inhibiting further incrementing of said counter means, and wherein said auxiliary means includes means for supplying outputs from said second memory means to address said function means.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said subset of coded signals includes at least one coded signal corresponding to a key associated with a punctuation mark and in which said second memory means includes three subentries for one said punctuation mark, a first subentry representing said punctuation mark, a second subentry representing a space function, and a third subentry representing said stop code.