[gdal-dev] RFC 30: Unicode Filenames - call for discussion

[Frank Warmerdam]

Ari Jolma wrote:
> The idea of this RFC as I understand it is to build a layer into GDAL, 
> which would take care of conversions between utf-8 and utf-16 (Windows 
> end) transparently, thus making it similar to the current case of utf-8 
> filesystem in unix. Everything should work fine as it is now, but I'll 
> add encode (to utf8 by default) to be on the safe side.
> 
> In the case of unix with non utf8 filesystem determining the filename 
> encoding is left for the user. The encoding is by default utf8 but can 
> be changed.

Ari,

I'm a bit uncertain about where we stand on Perl.  Is it true that currently
the filenames are just treated as "plain strings" in Perl and that these
strings have no obvious characterset or encoding associated with them?  If
so I'm not sure that "encoding to utf-8 by default" will necessarily make
sense if they are already in utf-8.  If you "encode to utf-8", is it assumed
the encoding is being done from whatever the locale charset is?

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
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