[tex-live] Re: UTF-8 support

[Petr Olsak]

On 22 Jan 2003, Vladimir Volovich wrote:

> "PO" == Petr Olsak writes:
>
>  >> A support for UTF-8 is already provided by ucs.sty available from
>  >> CTAN. I think it should be included on the next CD.
>
>  PO> NO!!
>
>  PO> The UTF-8 support cannot be 100% perfect, if you realise it only
>  PO> at macro level. I have made my own macros for UTF-8 support
>  PO> before my second version of encTeX and I know very deep all
>  PO> problems connected with thist task.
>
>  PO> Please, don't assume that all UTF-8 codes on input side and on
>  PO> the output to \write files can be implemented by macros.

> if we are talking about LaTeX, then properly done writes to files

I am not talking about LaTeX. My encTeX is a solution for all macros, not
only LaTeX.

> (AUX, etc) - those using standard LaTeX commands to do writes - will
> save the characters properly in LaTeX internal character
> representation (LICR) form, even when you are using UTF-8 input
> encoding, e.g. if Á (in UTF-8 encoded document) will be written to a
> file, it will be represented in the encoding-independent form: \'A

The \write files are commonly processed by another programs than TeX. If
these programs understand UTF-8 then you need to be able to output this
encoding by \write command.

> these "dirty tricks" are not permitted in LaTeX (even for
> macro-package writers) - catcodes of letters (when using inputenc) and
> uc/lccodes are fixed.

But these "dirty tricks" are commonly used outside LaTeX. My encTex is
suggested not only for LaTeX users.

> if one uses proper interfaces (e.g. protected writes in LaTeX) then

The LaTeX is not "proper interface" for many peoples including me.

Petr Olsak