Question

Convert Unicode String to ASCII String

Asked by: bmccleary

I have a simple problem that i need a simple answer for.  I have a string that is in unicode format that I want to convert to ASCII format.  If the character is not in the ASCII range, then it just needs to be dropped.  I need this function in ASP (VBScript), so I can't use any fancy C++ function.  For example, I have the following code:

-----------------------------------------------------
Dim sUnicodeValue, sAsciiValue
sUnicodeValue = "Ÿ"
sAsciiValue = ConvertUnicodeStringToAscii(sUnicodeValue) ' This function is what I need
Response.Write "Unicode = " & sUnicodeValue & "<br>"
Response.Write "ASCII = " & sAsciiValue & "<br>"
-----------------------------------------------------

How can I get the above to work?  Any help is appreciated...

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Asked On
2004-07-19 at 10:02:02ID21063650
Tags

unicode

,

convert

,

ascii

,

string

Topic

Visual Basic Programming

Participating Experts
5
Points
500
Comments
13

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Answers

 

by: sudhakar_koundinyaPosted on 2004-07-19 at 11:00:54ID: 11585760

Hope this will help you

Function UnicodeToAscii(ByRef pstrUnicode)
      Dim llngLength
      Dim llngIndex
      Dim llngAscii
      Dim lstrAscii
          
      llngLength = Len(pstrUnicode)
          
      For llngIndex = 1 To llngLength
            llngAscii = Asc(Mid(pstrUnicode, llngIndex, 1))
            lstrAscii = lstrUnicode & ChrB(llngAscii)
      Next
          
      UnicodeToAscii = lstrAscii
End Function

Regards
Sudhakar

 

by: sudhakar_koundinyaPosted on 2004-07-19 at 11:02:05ID: 11585773

to get back to unicode

Function AsciiToUnicode(ByRef pstrAscii)
          
      Dim llngLength
      Dim llngIndex
      Dim llngAscii
      Dim lstrUnicode
          
      llngLength = LenB(pstrAscii)
          
      For llngIndex = 1 To llngLength
            llngAscii = AscB(MidB(pstrAscii, llngIndex, 1))
            lstrUnicode = lstrUnicode & Chr(llngAscii)
      Next
          
      AsciiToUnicode = lstrUnicode
          
End Function

 

by: sudhakar_koundinyaPosted on 2004-07-19 at 11:11:31ID: 11585845

Here is your final code

<%
Function UnicodeToAscii(ByRef pstrUnicode)
     Dim llngLength
     Dim llngIndex
     Dim llngAscii
     Dim lstrAscii
         
     llngLength = Len(pstrUnicode)
         
     For llngIndex = 1 To llngLength
          llngAscii = Asc(Mid(pstrUnicode, llngIndex, 1))
          lstrAscii = lstrUnicode & ChrB(llngAscii)
     Next
         
     UnicodeToAscii = lstrAscii
End Function


Function AsciiToUnicode(ByRef pstrAscii)
         
     Dim llngLength
     Dim llngIndex
     Dim llngAscii
     Dim lstrUnicode
         
     llngLength = LenB(pstrAscii)
         
     For llngIndex = 1 To llngLength
          llngAscii = AscB(MidB(pstrAscii, llngIndex, 1))
          lstrUnicode = lstrUnicode & Chr(llngAscii)
     Next
         
     AsciiToUnicode = lstrUnicode
         
End Function

Dim sUnicodeValue, sAsciiValue
sUnicodeValue = "Ÿ"
sAsciiValue = UnicodeToAscii(sUnicodeValue) ' This function is what I need
Response.Write "Unicode = " & sUnicodeValue & "<br>"
Response.Write "ASCII = " & sAsciiValue & "<br>"
Response.Write "<br>Unicode = " & AsciiToUnicode(sAsciiValue) & "<br>"
%>

 

by: rlibrandiPosted on 2004-07-19 at 11:13:39ID: 11585865

StrConv("Ÿ", vbFromUnicode) - to convert from Unicode to system default codepage

StrConv("ascii", vbUnicode) - converts to Unicode

 

by: sudhakar_koundinyaPosted on 2004-07-19 at 11:22:35ID: 11585961

*asy=Easy

Oops,
I haven't refreshed. You are quite fast

 

by: bmcclearyPosted on 2004-07-19 at 11:53:04ID: 11586249

Thanks guys, but I have two problems...

First, StrConv is not available as a function in VBScript so I can't use it in my ASP pages

Secondly, Sudhaker, I modified you code slightly so that I only get the standard (not even extended) ASCII character set, as follows:

Function ConvertToASCII(sValue)
  Dim i, rv, charValue
  rv = ""
  For i = 1 To Len(sValue)
    charValue = Asc(Mid(sValue, i, 1))
    If charValue <= 127 Then
      rv = rv & Chr(charValue)
    End If
  Next
  ConvertToStandardASCII = rv
End Function

THe problem is that some of my strings are very long (1MB+), and using this function causes severe processor loading and memory utilization (because of the continual appending of the string).  I know that I can use a complex VB string builder method, but I was hoping for a simpler method.

Do either of you know a simpler method to make my function work, or how to get StrConv to work with VBScript?

 

by: sudhakar_koundinyaPosted on 2004-07-19 at 12:42:57ID: 11586721

I assume that more or less both will have same speed performance. Maybe strconv is a bit faster than user defined function.

Coming to the strconv in asp pages, I think it is there with VBScript engine. Although I am not able to test the function at my side because of Type Mismatch error, I strongly say it is there. May be some body can help u on this

Regards
Sudhakar

 

by: acperkinsPosted on 2004-07-19 at 20:47:05ID: 11589582

Since the StrConv is not available in VBScript, consider writing a VB dll with this function that you use from ASP.  Assuming it is fast enough, that is.

 

by: sudhakar_koundinyaPosted on 2004-07-19 at 21:49:59ID: 11589832

>> Since the StrConv is not available in VBScript, consider writing a VB dll with this function that you use from ASP.  Assuming it is fast enough, that is.

I thought the same. But as this is web based project, the hosting people may not accept such components, I think.

 

by: bmcclearyPosted on 2004-07-20 at 07:08:55ID: 11592983

Thanks to you all for your inputs.  I was hoping for either something cleaner or quicker, but I guess this is one example of why classic ASP is going the way of the dodo!  Thanks again.

 

by: dekeldatePosted on 2004-08-05 at 09:44:05ID: 11728048

I bumped into this (by way of google) while investigating how to make fast strings, so I will put in a way that should help the speed of the processing, even though it is closed, feeling generous.

I am more familiar with VB Classic so I hope this works for you without any changes

Function ConvertToASCII(sValue)
    Dim i, lStringLength, sReturnValue, iBufferSize, lCurStringSize, charValue

    lStringSize= len(svalue)
    iBufferSize = 15000
    lCurStringSize = 0

    For i = 1 To lStringLength
        If i > iCurStringSize Then
           iCurStringSize = iCurStringSize + iBufferSize
           sReturnValue = sReturnValue & String$(iBufferSize, 0)
        End if
        charValue = AscB$(MidB$(sValue, i))   ' notice I am not specifiying the length, this makes it
                                                                ' faster and  only the first charcter is taken anyway
 
        Mid$(sReturnValue, lCurStringSize + 1, 1) = Chr$(charValue)
    Next

End Function

 

by: AkerPosted on 2009-12-15 at 13:53:45ID: 26057580

Sudhakar you are a SUPERSTAR!  THANK YOU THANK YOU

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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