UTF-8 Text Import

[sticko14]

I've set up a website for a client which, amongst other things, allows them to export data from a MySQL database as a .csv file.

The website & database use the UTF-8 character set and the client wanted to be able to view the .csv files with MS Excel. This proved too troublesome (no UTF-8 support) and I have managed to persuade them to use Calc instead. There is now just one point which is stopping them thinking the change was perfect...

When the client double-clicks on one of the exported .csv files they are presented with Calc's Text Import dialog. Is there any way I can make Unicode (UTF-8) the default Character set?

TIA

[huw]

Can you attach a (non-confidential) file for people to experiment with?

[acknak]

I think the default encoding depends on your system locale. For me, UTF-8 is the default when I open a .csv file.

[sticko14]

Can you attach a (non-confidential) file for people to experiment with?

I've tried to attach a file but I keep getting the message "The extension csv is not allowed". I've tried changing the extension but apparently .txt & .aaa are not allowed either. I'm probably doing something stupid but I can't see what.

When I double-click this file on my PC it opens up Calc with the Text Import dialog showing. On my set-up the "Import Character set" has "Western Europe (Windows-1252/WinLatin 1)" highlighted, we need that to be "Unicode (UTF-8)". If UTF-8 is NOT selected then the accented characters (e.g. O+umlaut) aren't reproduced properly.

I should've said right at the beginning that I'm using OOo 2.3.0 running on WinXP and my Regional and Language Options are all set to English (United Kingdom).

If anyone can tell me what I'm doing wrong with the upload I'll give it another go!

Cheers

Chris

[acknak]

I know .zip, and (I expect) all the standard ODF file types are ok for upload.

However, I don't think it will help. The default text file encoding is coming from the system locale settings, so if someone else tries your file, they will get results specific to their system, not yours.

I'm really not sure how you get around that, other than setting your locale's encoding to UTF-8. Doesn't Windows have a way to make locale settings for a specific application?

[sticko14]

Doesn't Windows have a way to make locale settings for a specific application?

Thanks for that, I'll look into it. I guess I was hoping there'd be a way to configure it in OOo but I'll see what I can set in Windows.