This document covers the following topics:
The ICU libraries are always installed with the full set of ICU conversion and collation data. The settings in the configuration file NATCONV.INI apply to the A format. For the U format, the corresponding checks (for example, when a character is translated to upper case) are done via the ICU library.
Note:
For obtaining information on the ICU version and the supported code
pages, you can use the SYSCP utility which is available with
Natural for Windows.
This section lists the profile parameters which are used in conjunction with Unicode and code page support.
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
CP |
Defines the default code page for Natural. This code page is used for the runtime and development environment if not superposed with a code page defined for a single object (for example, for a Natural source). Only platform-suitable code pages can be used. This means, for example, that no EBCDIC code page can be defined for a Windows, UNIX or OpenVMS platform. |
CPCVERR |
Specifies whether a conversion error that occurs when converting from Unicode to code page or from code page to Unicode or from one code page to another code page results in a Natural error or not. This parameter is not regarded for the conversion of Natural sources when loading them into the source area or when cataloging them. |
CPOBJIN |
Specifies the code page in which the batch input
file for data is encoded. This file is defined with the
Natural profile parameter CMOBJIN.
|
CPPRINT |
Specifies the code page in which the batch output
file shall be encoded. This file is defined with the
Natural profile parameter CMPRINT.
|
CPSYNIN |
Specifies the code page in which the batch input
file for commands is encoded. This file is defined with
the Natural profile parameter CMSYNIN (Windows,
UNIX and OpenVMS).
|
SRETAIN |
Specifies that all existing sources have to be saved in their original encoding format. See also Customizing Your Environment. |
SUTF8 |
Specifies the default format to be used when
Natural sources are saved.
Note: |
SUBCHAR |
Specifies the substitution character for the
conversion from Unicode to the default code page. If
SUBCHAR is OFF, the default substitution
character defined by ICU will be used.
Note: |
WEBIO |
Specifies whether the
Natural Web I/O Interface
client (which supports Unicode) or the
terminal emulation
window (which is not Unicode-enabled) is used for input and output.
In a local Windows environment, the output window (which is Unicode-enabled) is used. In a remote Windows environment, the Natural Web I/O Interface client is always used, regardless of the setting of this parameter. |
See also:
Code Pages for the Input and Output Files in the section Natural in Batch Mode of the Operations documentation
For valid code pages, see http://www.iana.org/assignments/character-sets.
The encoding of code page data can be specified on different levels.
The default code page can be defined with the
CP parameter.
It overwrites the system code page and is valid for all
code page data.
A code page can be defined for Natural sources, batch input (CPOBJIN,
CPSYNIN)
and output files (CPPRINT).
In addition, a code page can be defined for work files of type ASCII, ASCII compressed, Unformatted and CSV; see Work File Assignments in the Configuration Utility documentation.
If a code page is defined at object level, this overwrites the default code page.
Important:
It is important that the correct code page is
defined for every object. For more information, see
Migrating Existing
Applications.
If you want to deploy Natural objects for which encoding information has already been defined, you have to keep in mind that the encoding information is stored in the file FILEDIR.SAG and that it is lost if you deploy only the object file from outside of Natural.
When deploying Natural objects, you have the following possibilities for keeping the encoding information:
You can copy the entire library. The copy of the library can then be distributed to all Windows, UNIX and OpenVMS platforms. In this case, the original code page is kept. If a library is copied from Windows to UNIX or OpenVMS, you have to keep in mind that it may be possible that the objects cannot be opened with a native Natural for UNIX or Natural for OpenVMS editor because these editors can only open objects with the default code page.
You can use the Object Handler which keeps the encoding information. In this case, the original code page is kept. If a Windows library is unloaded on UNIX or OpenVMS, you have to keep in mind that it may be possible that the objects cannot be opened with a native Natural for UNIX or Natural for OpenVMS editor because these editors can only open objects with the default code page.
You can copy and paste objects with Natural Studio. In a SPoD environment, if the target environment is located on a platform different from the source environment, Natural tries to save the object with the default code page of the target environment. If this is not possible, the object is stored in UTF-8 format. For UNIX and OpenVMS targets, this assures that the object can be opened with the native Natural for UNIX or Natural for OpenVMS editors, if all characters of the source are available in the default code page of the UNIX or OpenVMS server.
