Within files, each text character is stored as a bit combination. When a file reads or writes characters, it consults a code page or other mapping standard. For example, the commonly-used code page for English, Latin 1, maps Hex 41 to a capital A. Writing text characters according to a code page is called encoding.
Code pages are identified in locale specifications. For Essbase, locale is specified by the ESSLANG variable or by the system locale of the computer (see the Oracle Hyperion Enterprise Performance Management System Installation and Configuration Guide). Encoding within non-Unicode-mode applications is based on the locale that is common to Essbase and Administration Services.
To interpret text, such as member names, Administration Services Console must know how the text is encoded. Encoding considerations affect what you can and cannot do with various categories and subcategories of files:
You cannot directly edit internal application and database files. The encoding within such files is based on the encoding of the application, Unicode mode or non-Unicode mode.
Text in Unicode-mode application files is UTF-8 encoded.
Text in non-Unicode-mode application files is encoded to the ESSLANG variable or to the system locale of the Essbase Server on which the files were created.
You can edit and create text files, such as scripts and data sources, and can edit binary files, such as outline and rules files.
To edit outline and rules files, you use Administration Services Console. When you edit within applications, Administration Services Console identifies locale (based on the encoding of the application). When you edit outside applications, Administration Services Console may ask you for the encoding.
When you use Administration Services Console to create text files, you are asked for encoding information when you save the files. The information that you provide is stored in the files.
When you use a means other than Administration Services Console to create text files, you must add encoding information manually, through a text editor or by using the Essbase Unicode File Utility (ESSUTF8).
Note: | The encoding indicator for UTF-8-encoded text files is the industry-standard UTF-8 signature. The encoding indicator for non-UTF-8-encoded text files is a locale header record with a particular format. |
“Identification of Text Encoding” and “Managing File Encoding” in the Oracle Essbase Database Administrator's Guide
Essbase Unicode File Utility (ESSUTF8) in the Oracle Essbase Technical Reference