[Code] PCFileTools

[Dan Rathbun]

from the old Pick-axe Book:

@unknownuser said:

Strings are stored as sequences of 8-bit bytes,[For use in Japan, the jcode library supports a set of operations of strings written with EUC, SJIS, or UTF-8 encoding. The underlying string, however, is still accessed as a series of bytes.] and each byte may contain any of the 256 8-bit values, including null and newline. The substitution mechanisms in Table 18.2* on page 203 allow nonprinting characters to be inserted conveniently and portably.

• refers to the table of ** codes

Also Standard Types: Strings

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So it seems that (in my mind,) since Sketchup sets $KCODE to UTF8 when it loads the interpreter, we may not actually have as much of a problem on the Rubyside as I thought.

So we have a choice...

1) A pure-Ruby patch, that either accesses the system calls (for File functions,) via WIN32OLE or WIN32API (the so libraries.)

2) A compiled C patch, ie: "Cut out" the c code files that define classes IO, Dir and File (perhaps also FileTest,) and recompile with either UNICODE #defined, or change the C function calls explicitly to the wide versions. These would be ".so" files, and they would redefine the old methods. (What happens on the C-side when you re-define a C function that has already been defined? Do the C functions that the new Ruby wrappers call, need to be renamed as well?)

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[thomthom]

I was thinking that a C extension that did most of the functions used, like File.exist?, read, write, delete and list files in folders would go a long way. It wouldn't be as extensive as a complete rewrite - therefor more quicker to develop. Then off course not replacing the existing methods - as it'd just open up a vast pool of possible problems which would require even more testing and development.

Trying to rewrite the entire File, Dir and IO classes to call the W variant file function just seems like such a massive undertaking that it'd probably never be completed.

[TIG]

Does Sketchup set $KCODE to "UTF8" in all locales - I know it does in UK/US and probably European language locales BUT what about Chinese ? I'll ask someone...
If we get a consistent code for their locale can we modify the pack/join code to say use 'u' not 'U' and get an appropriate conversion in different $KCODE cases ?

[Dan Rathbun]

@thomthom said:

Then of course not replacing the existing methods - as it'd just open up a vast pool of possible problems which would require even more testing and development.

Well what I said before still goes... The new class(es) are in a Library namespace, need to be require(d), and then referenced within an author's namespace via an alias, (as I showed in the examples above.)

I mispoke when I said redefine, they would have the same identifiers, but be within, say SKX::WIN module namespace.

@thomthom said:

Trying to rewrite the entire File, Dir and IO classes to call the W variant file function just seems like such a massive undertaking that it'd probably never be completed.

I was hoping (without yet digging into the C source,) that it might be easy to use Notepad++ search and replace to stick "W" where they need to be.

[thomthom]

@dan rathbun said:

@thomthom said:

Trying to rewrite the entire File, Dir and IO classes to call the W variant file function just seems like such a massive undertaking that it'd probably never be completed.

I was hoping (without yet digging into the C source,) that it might be easy to use Notepad++ search and replace to stick "W" where they need to be.

Don't think it's that easy. I think there's a few type definitions that also needs to be adjusted. And then you need to ensure that there's no hard coded struct or data type sizes used...

[Dan Rathbun]

Poking around, finding links to help Adam on his Hebrew webdialog problem, I ran across a link on the Wikipedia Windows Code Pages doc.

Down at the bottom:

@unknownuser said:

See also

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AppLocale — a utility to run non-Unicode (code page-based) applications in a locale of the user's choice.

[Dan Rathbun]

BUMP