File.au3 Unicode functionality

[RagsRevenge]

Hello,

I'm writing a program which depends heavily on functions like _fileReadToArray, _fileCreate, etc.

This program is for use in translating between languages, including Unicode languages.

I noticed that a lot of the Open mode parameters of the functions in file.au3 are hardcoded to 0 or 2, ie: not allowing you to pass the Unicode open modes. I was working through file.au3 to create file_ex.au3 which allowed an optional parameter to specify the open mode to these functions.

The read functions seem to work with unicode already, even when an open mode of 0 is used, which is confusing me.

_fileCreate needed to be changed to

Func _FileCreate_Ex($sFilePath, $i_OpenMode = 2)
    ;==============================================
    ; Local Constant/Variable Declaration Section
    ;==============================================
    Local $hOpenFile
    Local $hWriteFile

    $hOpenFile = FileOpen($sFilePath, $i_OpenMode)

    If $hOpenFile = -1 Then
        SetError(1)
        Return 0
    EndIf

    $hWriteFile = FileWrite($hOpenFile, "")

    If $hWriteFile = -1 Then
        SetError(2)
        Return 0
    EndIf

    FileClose($hOpenFile)
    Return 1
EndFunc   ;==>_FileCreate_Ex

to allow me to create Unicode files.

Then I noticed that Jos has remarked

"To use other write modes, like append or Unicode formats, open the file with FileOpen() first and pass the file handle instead.

; If a file handle is passed, the file will still be open after writing." in _FileWriteFromArray.

Am I wasting my time converting these functions to Unicode functions, ie: am I missing something fundamental?

Secondly, is it not better to simply pass the open mode to _FileWriteFromArray, to allow you to append/use unicode? As Jos is a far better coder than I, I expect I'm missing a valid reason to pass the file handle as opposed to the open mode parameter.

Thanks,

D

[BrettF]

There is no reason why you cannot write to the file using your own code rather than the UDFs? For example writing a file line from an array element is as simple as using a loop and writing the line. Nothing much more than that?

[RagsRevenge]

There is no reason why you cannot write to the file using your own code rather than the UDFs? For example writing a file line from an array element is as simple as using a loop and writing the line. Nothing much more than that?

I understand this.

I'm used to using the _file.au3 functions, and it's very simple to recode them to make them Unicode compatible.

I guess I'm just curious why the decision was made to hardcode ANSI mode into the functions, and the one reference to Unicode in the UDF, Jos suggests a different process to what I think should be done (pass filehandle as opposed to passing open mode).

In deference to the UDF authors' superior skills, I thought I might have been missing out on very valid reasons not to do what I'm doing, hence the question.

D