diff --git a/Source/cmStringCommand.cxx b/Source/cmStringCommand.cxx
index f6e473a6da..a4d55181b6 100644
--- a/Source/cmStringCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmStringCommand.cxx
@@ -33,13 +33,49 @@ bool cmStringCommand::InitialPass(std::vector<std::string> const& args)
   else if(subCommand == "COMPARE")
     {
     return this->HandleCompareCommand(args);
-    }  
+    }
+  else if(subCommand == "ASCII")
+    {
+    return this->HandleAsciiCommand(args);
+    }
   
   std::string e = "does not recognize sub-command "+subCommand;
   this->SetError(e.c_str());
   return false;
 }
 
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+bool cmStringCommand::HandleAsciiCommand(std::vector<std::string> const& args)
+{
+  if ( args.size() <= 1 )
+    {
+    this->SetError("No output variable specified");
+    return false;
+    }
+  std::string::size_type cc;
+  std::string outvar = args[args.size()-1];
+  std::string output = "";
+  for ( cc = 1; cc < args.size()-1; cc ++ )
+    {
+    int ch = atoi(args[cc].c_str());
+    if ( ch > 0 && ch < 256 )
+      {
+      output += static_cast<char>(ch);
+      }
+    else
+      {
+      std::string error = "Character with code ";
+      error += ch;
+      error += " does not exist.";
+      this->SetError(error.c_str());
+      return false;
+      }
+    }
+  // Store the output in the provided variable.
+  m_Makefile->AddDefinition(outvar.c_str(), output.c_str());
+  return true;
+}
+
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool cmStringCommand::HandleRegexCommand(std::vector<std::string> const& args)
 {
diff --git a/Source/cmStringCommand.h b/Source/cmStringCommand.h
index c78f3ac3e8..298d730b3c 100644
--- a/Source/cmStringCommand.h
+++ b/Source/cmStringCommand.h
@@ -67,16 +67,19 @@ public:
       "STRING(COMPARE NOTEQUAL <string1> <string2> <output variable>)\n"
       "STRING(COMPARE LESS <string1> <string2> <output variable>)\n"
       "STRING(COMPARE GREATER <string1> <string2> <output variable>)\n"
+      "STRING(ASCII <number> [<number> ...] <output variable>)\n"
       "REGEX MATCH will match the regular expression once and store the match in the output variable.\n"  
       "REGEX MATCHALL will match the regular expression as many times as possible and store the matches\n"
       "               in the output variable as a list.\n"
       "REGEX REPLACE will match the regular expression as many times as possible and substitute the\n"
       "              replacement expression for the match in the output.\n"
-      "COMPARE EQUAL/NOTEQUAL/LESS/GREATER will compare the strings and store true or false in the output variable.\n";
+      "COMPARE EQUAL/NOTEQUAL/LESS/GREATER will compare the strings and store true or false in the output variable.\n"
+      "ASCII will convert all numbers into corresponding ASCII characters.\n";
     }
   
   cmTypeMacro(cmStringCommand, cmCommand);
 protected:
+  bool HandleAsciiCommand(std::vector<std::string> const& args);
   bool HandleRegexCommand(std::vector<std::string> const& args);
   bool RegexMatch(std::vector<std::string> const& args);
   bool RegexMatchAll(std::vector<std::string> const& args);