Export as SQL and the pesky ( Char ( 65279) or \x{FEFF} or <U+FEFF> ) BOM character

[Quito]

Hi,

If you've ever been stuck with unwanted invisible unicode BOM characters inside your List, there is a workaround:

The zero width no-break space (BOM character) can be represented as:

---------

Char ( 65279 ) or

\x{FEFF} or

<U+FEFF> 

...

----------

The BOM character may appear when you export your list, regardless of the TextEncode/LineEndings you selected.  In order to avoid this pesky character entering your exported file (in the wrong position), specify _ENC at the end of the filename:

-----

Set Field [ YourContainer ; TextEncode ( $q ; "utf-8" ; 1 ) ]

Export Field Contents [ YourContainer ; "YourExportedFile_ENC.sql" ; Automatically open ; Create folders: Off ]

-----

Hope this is useful to others!

[comment]

2 hours ago, Quito said:

specify _ENC at the end of the filename

Are you suggesting that changing the file name affects the file's contents? I doubt that very much.

[Quito]

I haven't found another explanation.  If the filename ends in, for example, _ASG.sql, the BOM character appears on every line in the list.  I've even tried using SUBSTITUTE and LEFT to nab the BOM character.  Nothing else works.

Best,

Daniel