If I save a .txt file using Notepad, I get a choice of encoding it as ANSI, Unicode, Unicode bigendian, or UTF-8.
What is the difference, and when, if ever, does it matter which I choose?
Ian
Saving a text file - Notepad
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Re: Saving a text file - Notepad
ANSI is the default Windows character set. It contains 255 characters, including a limited set of accented letters and various symbols.
If you need to include special characters, for example Japanese or Arabic, you need to specify Unicode.
Unicode big endian is basically the same as Unicode, but for operating systems that use a slightly different way of storing data than Windows.
utf8 is a variant of Unicode that is often used for e-mail and web pages.
For most purposes, ANSI will be sufficient.
If you need to include special characters, for example Japanese or Arabic, you need to specify Unicode.
Unicode big endian is basically the same as Unicode, but for operating systems that use a slightly different way of storing data than Windows.
utf8 is a variant of Unicode that is often used for e-mail and web pages.
For most purposes, ANSI will be sufficient.
Best wishes,
Hans
Hans
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Re: Saving a text file - Notepad
I always wondered that so thanks for asking and thank you Hans for such a wonderful explanationIanWilson wrote:If I save a .txt file using Notepad, I get a choice of encoding it as ANSI, Unicode, Unicode bigendian, or UTF-8.
What is the difference, and when, if ever, does it matter which I choose?
Ian
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Re: Saving a text file - Notepad
Thanks, Hans.HansV wrote:ANSI is the default Windows character set. It contains 255 characters, including a limited set of accented letters and various symbols.
If you need to include special characters, for example Japanese or Arabic, you need to specify Unicode.
Unicode big endian is basically the same as Unicode, but for operating systems that use a slightly different way of storing data than Windows.
utf8 is a variant of Unicode that is often used for e-mail and web pages.
For most purposes, ANSI will be sufficient.
Ian
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Re: Saving a text file - Notepad
Excellent Hans, another nugget of info that helps us understand things
Jeff