FAR is Unicode enabled and will correctly process file names, folder names and file content containing Unicode (foreign language) characters.
When you convert from Unicode to ANSI you will sometimes see this dialog. FAR displays the name of the problem file, and prompts you to choose a more appropriate ANSI Code Page to convert with. Select one of the ANSI Code Pages listed at the top of the dropdown list (those prefixed with "ANSI"). Alternatively select a language from language dropdown. The language dropdown list is bound to the first Code Page dropdown list. I.E. When you select a language it automatically chooses the correct Code Page for you in the first list. FAR also displays the Unicode file and allows you to step though the problem characters, which are marked with a "?" character.
Be very careful with HTML Help (.chm files). HTML Help requires it's files to be in ANSI file format. If you use foreign characters that are not part of the current Windows Code Page then you will see this error dialog. You can change the Windows ANSI Code Page via Control Panel->Regional and Language Options.
Other help projects can be stored in Unicode format, typically using the File > Save command or FAR's own Set File Encoding dialog.
The Invalid Code Page dialog allows you to either:
- Retry the operation after selecting a more appropriate ANSI Code Page (language) that matches the problem file.
- Skip the problem file and move on. If FAR is working with only one file then this is the same as Cancel.
- Accept the changes with problem characters being permanently changed to "?".
- Cancel all current operations.
Check the box if you want FAR to remembers any Code Page your try that successfully encodes to ANSI. Next time you convert to ANSI, FAR automatically tries to use the Code Page again. FAR keeps its "good Code Page list" until either you restart FAR or you reopen the Set File Encoding dialog.
Note: Every language codepage contains the English character set.
Note: If you have a Unicode file that contains more than 1 foreign language then you may have problems converting to ANSI since a Code Page can only deal with one language (plus English) at a time.
FAR version 5.x is Unicode enabled. However it's important to realize that MS HTML Help 1.x (.chm help files) does not support Unicode. Your project and content files must be in ANSI file format. See also web link: Unicode Support in HH.
Other help system such as MS Help 2.x and 3.x fully support Unicode files. Unicode is recommended, especially if your text is non-English. UTF-8 Unicode is preferred since it's usually more compact than UTF-16 Unicode.
For more information on Unicode please read the Help Workshop online-help or search google.com
When working with say Japanese HTML Help projects on non-Japanese windows you must set the Windows language/Code Page to Japanese.
To set the System default language on Windows 2000:
- Control Panel->Regional and Language Options.
- At the bottom, where you can check the different languages to support, click on Set Default...
- Select say "Japanese" from the list.
- Reboot.
To set the System default language on Windows XP:
- Control Panel->Regional and Language Options.
- On the Advanced page select the "Language for Non-Unicode programs" to say "Japanese".
- Make sure the required Code Page is installed (checked in the Code Page list).
- For Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages check the box "Install Files for East Asian languages" on the Languages page tab.
- Reboot.
To set the System default language on Windows Vista:
- Control Panel->Regional and Language Options.
- On the Administrative page click the "Change System Locale" button and select the required locale.
Note: Only Windows 2000/XP/2003 and later fully supports Unicode. Newer operating systems have better support. Windows Home version may not contain support for all available languages.