PHP : csv file encoding?

Question

I have a stupid problem. I use a software for export .csv files, and the result is a strange formated text. When I try to deal them in PHP, everything goes wrong.

I copy and paste the text in MS WORD : there is a strange character between each letter.

In php I tried to convert it using utf8_decode/utf8_encode, iconv("ISO-8859-1", "WINDOWS-1252", $str)... in vain.

I guess it's an utf16 encoded text, but I'm not sure of it. I tried some functions to decode utf16, in vain too.

Is someone has a solution to fix this ?

What software are you using to export? Can you provide a sample file? — Arkadiusz 'flies' Rzadkowolski
– Arkadiusz 'flies' Rzadkowolski, Commented Jun 11, 2013 at 10:28
I use "Sarbacane" an emailing software. For the sample file, how can we put sample files in Stackoverflow ?? — lsmpascal
– lsmpascal, Commented Jun 11, 2013 at 10:32
I put the file on a server : lesudtest.com/NL_JGFR_130326_bac.csv . — lsmpascal
– lsmpascal, Commented Jun 11, 2013 at 10:40

lathspell · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-11 10:55:55Z

1

Your guess it correct:

file -i NL_JGFR_130326_bac.csv 
NL_JGFR_130326_bac.csv: text/plain; charset=utf-16le

You can probably use the PHP MultiByte extension to work with UTF-16: http://php.net/manual/en/ref.mbstring.php

answered Jun 11, 2013 at 10:55

lathspell

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3 Comments

lsmpascal Over a year ago

Thank you. Do you know a function that can convert my file (or string in it) in utf8 for example. I can't find anything like it in the Multibyte String Functions.

lathspell Over a year ago

It should be as simple as mb_convert_encoding($s, "UTF-16LE", "UTF-8"); although that only produces garbage when I tried it. Maybe "file -i" was not correct or you have mixed encodings?

lsmpascal Over a year ago

mb_convert_encoding($s, "UTF-16LE", "UTF-8"); is to encode UTF8 in UTF16. The opposite produces garbage, you're right. I guess I gone deal with these files manually. We can't find a solution every time !

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