Iconv-UTF8 plugin

Phase 5 does not support unicode, yet. This does not necessarily mean that you have to do without your favourite editor if a project has to be in utf-8 and similar charsets.

GNU offers a handy conversion tool named Iconv, which is widespread in the Unix and Perl world. There also is an extension for PHP. And even for Windows you can get a version. This version can be used via a plugin.

version history

• Version 2.0 (February 2008)
  two user-definable quick buttons
• Version 1.0 (June 2007)
  six separate selectable charsets for input and output
• iso2utf.bat & utf2iso.bat (November 2005)
  these batch files were not as comfortable and only converted iso-8859-1 and utf-8

installation

1. Download Iconv and unzip it into folder of your choice.
2. From iconvutf8.zip copy Iconv-UTF8.exe and iconvutf8.ini into the plugins folder of Phase 5.
3. In iconvutf8.ini set the path to iconv.exe. Done! For hints on the erweiterten settings in iconvutf8.ini there is an example.ini in the download package.

usage

Open a file in Phase 5 and select Iconv in the Tools menu. The plugin will read the character encoding from the input file, if there is an encoding- or charset-entry. Then all you have to do is select the output-file encoding.

Should the choice of encodings not suffice you can enter any encoding supported by Iconv into a separate box - and that for both source and target. A list of encodings supported can be called by pressing the help button.

In addition you can trigger two user-definable combinations via two quick buttons.

remarks

• If you want to keep the original file you must copy it before you call the plugin.
• Conversions with Iconv can be tricky. We advise you to backup your files first.
• In iconvutf8.ini you can select English as the display language.
• Conversions do not change the fact that Phase 5 is very limited in the charsets it can display. Thus, the plugin's use is limited. It has proven ok, for example, to translate an utf8-file into iso, edit it and finally convert it back again. (All RSS feeds in the projects of blechtrottel brodaktschns are maintained this way)
• If the entries under encoding or charset are wrong then the conversion may fail. After the conversion the entries are wrong in any case, for the plugin does not change the entries in the output. You will have to change these manually if you do not intend to convert the file back again.
• Converted data is copied to the clipboard and inserted into the original file. The results can therefore be reset by pressing Ctrl+Z and/or be copied into another file (even in another program) via Ctrl+V.
• Iconv-UTF8.exe was written with the freeware script tool AutoIt. It may not work with files of any size. We ask you to send reports.
• The plugin was tested under Windows 2000 and XP. Wishes, hints and comments are welcome.

PS.: freeware & viruses

All programs by blechtrottel brodaktschns are of course free of any virus. But they may be wrongly accused by some virus programs. Why this sometimes happens, can be read on this info page.