How Can I Properly Convert UTF-8 Strings to a SQL Database in Classic ASP?

Handling UTF-8 Strings in Classic ASP and SQL Databases

This guide addresses the challenge of correctly inserting French characters (and other UTF-8 characters) into a SQL database from a Classic ASP application. While post-retrieval conversion is possible, proactively encoding strings before database insertion is a more robust solution.

Best Practices for UTF-8 Encoding

The following steps ensure consistent UTF-8 handling throughout your Classic ASP application:

1. UTF-8 Encoding for ASP Pages:

Save all your ASP files using UTF-8 encoding. Verify your IDE's default encoding; it might default to Windows-1252, which can cause issues.

2. Declare UTF-8 Encoding in ASP Pages:

Add this line as the very first line of every ASP page:

<code><%@ CodePage = 65001 %></code>

This directive tells ASP to interpret all subsequent code as UTF-8.

3. Set Response Charset and Code Page:

Include the following code in every ASP page:

<code>Response.CharSet = "UTF-8"
Response.CodePage = 65001</code>

Response.CharSet sets the HTTP header, and Response.CodePage ensures ASP processes strings correctly as UTF-8.

4. Consistent Encoding for Included Files:

All included files (.inc, etc.) must also be saved with UTF-8 encoding. Double-check the encoding of any external files your ASP pages use.

Important Considerations:

• Application-Wide Consistency: These steps must be implemented across every page of your application to maintain consistent UTF-8 handling.
• Database Insertion Point: If problems persist, confirm that CodePage = 65001 is set on the specific page responsible for writing data to the database. This is crucial for correct encoding during the database insertion process.

By following these steps, you'll effectively prevent character encoding issues when working with UTF-8 strings in your Classic ASP application and SQL database.

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