Copyright © 2001 - 2007 SILC Project SILC Project Website

SILC Toolkit Reference Manual Index

SILC Toolkit Reference Manual SILC Crypto Library     Introduction to SILC RNG     SILC RNG Interface     SILC Cipher API     SILC PKCS API     SILC Public Key API     SILC PKCS #1 API     SILC Hash Interface     SILC HMAC Interface SILC Core Library     SILC Authentication Interface     SILC Message Interface     SILC Channel Interface     SILC Command Interface     SILC Notify Interface     SILC Status Types     SILC Modes     SILC ID Interface     SILC Argument Interface     SILC Attributes Interface     Packet Engine Interface     SILC Public Key Payload Interface SILC Key Exchange Library     SILC SKE Interface     SILC Connection Authentication Interface SILC VCard Library     SILC VCard Interface SILC Math Library     SILC MP Interface     SILC Math Interface SILC Client Library     Using SILC Client Library Tutorial     Arguments for command_reply Client Operation     SilcStatus Error Arguments in command_reply Client Operation     Arguments for notify Client Operation     Unicode and UTF-8 Strings in Client Library     Client Library Interface Reference     Client Entry Interface Reference SILC ASN.1 Library     SILC ASN.1 Interface     SILC BER interface SILC HTTP Library     SILC HTTP Server Interface     SILC HTTP PHP Translator SILC Utility Library     Basic Types and Definitions     Data Buffer Interface     Data Buffer Format Interface     Hash Table Interface     Memory Allocation Interface     Data Stack (memory pool) Interface     Finite State Machine Interface     Thread Interface     Mutual Exclusion Lock Interface     Condition Variable Interface     Atomic Operations Interface     Network (TCP and UDP) Interface     Scheduler Interface     Asynchronous Operation Interface     Abstract Stream Interface     Socket Stream Interface     File Descriptor Stream Interface     File Utility Functions     String Utility Interface     Snprintf Interface     UTF-8 String Interface     Stringprep Interface     Utility Functions     List Interface     Dynamic List Interface     MIME Interface     Time Utility Functions     Logging Interface     Config File Interface SILC Key Repository Library     SILC SKR Interface SILC Application Utility Library     SILC Application Utilities     SILC ID Cache Interface SILC SFTP Library     SILC SFTP Interface     SFTP Filesystems Interface Resource Links SILC Project Website SILC Protocol Documentation SILC White Paper SILC FAQs

Unicode and UTF-8 Strings in Client Library   This document describes how the client library handles UTF-8 encoded strings. By default all strings in the SILC protocol are UTF-8 encoded. All strings that are sent to server and strings that are received from the server are always UTF-8 encoded. It is application's responsibility to render the strings as well as possible on the user interface.   Exception to these strings are messages sent and received in Message Payload, which can include practically any kind of strings with any kind of character encodings, and binary data also. If UTF-8 encoded message is sent or received it is indicated with the SILC_MESSAGE_FLAG_UTF8, and application can render the messages accordingly.   Other strings are always UTF-8 encoded and application needs to decode the strings to other character encoding if application does not support UTF-8 rendering on user interface. Also strings application sends to library, such as, nicknames, channel names, server names, host names, topic srings, any command argument, etc. must always be UTF-8 encoded before they are sent to the library. The UTF-8 routines help the application developer to encode and decode UTF-8 strings.   The client library does not ever encode or decode strings to or from the current locale. The library always expects that all strings it receives from application are already UTF-8 encoded. The library may validate certain UTF-8 strings and return error if needed. Server may also send errors in command reply if strings are not encoded properly.   Nicknames and channel names in SILC are also UTF-8 encoded and can include practically any kind of letters, numbers and punctuation marks. Control characters and other special characters are not allowed in nickname strings, and application never receives such nicknames or channel names from the library.

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SILC Toolkit Reference Manual Index