> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.iceteagroup.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.iceteagroup.com/general/framework/features/unicode-support.md). # Unicode Support .NET strings and controls are all UNICODE. Therefore the ported application becomes UNICODE compliant without any modifications. However, when external resources are involved, you may need to modify the application and/or the external resource to become UNICODE. Generally there are three external resources that are not UNICODE: Database, Files, and External functions. ## UNICODE Database If your database is not UNICODE, make sure that the \ setting in the [sql.config](/general/framework/sql-support/configuration.md) file is set to Ansi. On the contrary, if you have converted the database to UNICODE, or are connecting to a UNICODE database, make sure that the \ setting for the UNICODE data source in sql.config is set to Unicode. ## UNICODE Files All file operations in SQLWindows/Team Developer are not UNICODE. If you want to open, read and write UNICODE files (or using other standard encodings), you can use the following additional flags with the *SalFileOpen* function: Sys.OF\_Unicode, Sys.OF\_UTF7, Sys.OF\_UTF8. ## UNICODE Externals By default, when passing strings to an external interop call, .NET converts the string to ASCII. If you need to call external DLLs that expect a UNICODE string you need to add the CharSet=CharSet.Unicode attribute to the external declarations in the Ext class (or Externals for VB.NET) in the ported project. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.iceteagroup.com/general/framework/features/unicode-support.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.