Provided by: libunicode-map-perl_0.112-12_amd64 
NAME
Unicode::Map V0.112 - maps charsets from and to utf16 unicode
SYNOPSIS
use Unicode::Map();
$Map = new Unicode::Map("ISO-8859-1");
$utf16 = $Map -> to_unicode ("Hello world!");
=> $utf16 == "\0H\0e\0l\0l\0o\0 \0w\0o\0r\0l\0d\0!"
$locale = $Map -> from_unicode ($utf16);
=> $locale == "Hello world!"
A more detailed description below.
2do: short note about perl's Unicode perspectives.
DESCRIPTION
This module converts strings from and to 2-byte Unicode UCS2 format. All mappings happen
via 2 byte UTF16 encodings, not via 1 byte UTF8 encoding. To transform these use
Unicode::String.
For historical reasons this module coexists with Unicode::Map8. Please use Unicode::Map8
unless you need to care for two byte character sets, e.g. chinese GB2312. Anyway, if you
stick to the basic functionality (see documentation) you can use both modules
equivalently.
Practically this module will disappear from earth sooner or later as Unicode mapping
support needs somehow to get into perl's core. If you like to work on this field please
don't hesitate contacting Gisle Aas!
This module can't deal directly with utf8. Use Unicode::String to convert utf8 to utf16
and vice versa.
Character mapping is according to the data of binary mapfiles in Unicode::Map hierarchy.
Binary mapfiles can also be created with this module, enabling you to install own specific
character sets. Refer to mkmapfile or file REGISTRY in the Unicode::Map hierarchy.
CONVERSION METHODS
Probably these are the only methods you will need from this module. Their usage is
compatible with Unicode::Map8.
new $Map = new Unicode::Map("GB2312-80")
Returns a new Map object for GB2312-80 encoding.
from_unicode
$dest = $Map -> from_unicode ($src)
Creates a string in locale charset representation from utf16 encoded string $src.
to_unicode
$dest = $Map -> to_unicode ($src)
Creates a string in utf16 representation from $src.
to8 Alias for from_unicode. For compatibility with Unicode::Map8
to16
Alias for to_unicode. For compatibility with Unicode::Map8
WARNINGS
You can demand Unicode::Map to issue warnings at deprecated or incompatible usage with the
constants WARN_DEFAULT, WARN_DEPRECATION or WARN_COMPATIBILITY. The latter both can be
ored together.
No special warnings:
$Unicode::Map::WARNINGS = Unicode::Map::WARN_DEFAULT
Warnings for deprecated usage:
$Unicode::Map::WARNINGS = Unicode::Map::WARN_DEPRECATION
Warnings for incompatible usage:
$Unicode::Map::WARNINGS = Unicode::Map::WARN_COMPATIBILITY
MAINTAINANCE METHODS
Note: These methods are solely for the maintainance of Unicode::Map. Using any of these
methods will lead to programs incompatible with Unicode::Map8.
alias
@list = $Map -> alias ($csid)
Returns a list of alias names of character set $csid.
mapping
$path = $Map -> mapping ($csid)
Returns the absolute path of binary character mapping for character set $csid
according to REGISTRY file of Unicode::Map.
id $real_id||"" = $Map -> id ($test_id)
Returns a valid character set identifier $real_id, if $test_id is a valid character
set name or alias name according to REGISTRY file of Unicode::Map.
ids @ids = $Map -> ids()
Returns a list of all character set names defined in REGISTRY file.
read_text_mapping
1||0 = $Map -> read_text_mapping ($csid, $path, $style)
Read a text mapping of style $style named $csid from filename $path. The mapping then
can be saved to a file with method: write_binary_mapping. <$style> can be:
style description
"unicode" A text mapping as of ftp://ftp.unicode.org/MAPPINGS/
"" Same as "unicode"
"reverse" Similar to unicode, but both columns are switched
"keld" A text mapping as of ftp://dkuug.dk/i18n/charmaps/
src $path = $Map -> src ($csid)
Returns the path of textual character mapping for character set $csid according to
REGISTRY file of Unicode::Map.
style
$path = $Map -> style ($csid)
Returns the style of textual character mapping for character set $csid according to
REGISTRY file of Unicode::Map.
write_binary_mapping
1||0 = $Map -> write_binary_mapping ($csid, $path)
Stores a mapping that has been loaded via method read_text_mapping in file $path.
DEPRECATED METHODS
Some functionality is no longer promoted.
noise
Deprecated! Don't use any longer.
reverse_unicode
Deprecated! Use Unicode::String::byteswap instead.
BINARY MAPPINGS
Structure of binary Mapfiles
Unicode character mapping tables have sequences of sequential key and sequential value
codes. This property is used to crunch the maps easily. n (0<n<256) sequential characters
are represented as a bytecount n and the first character code key_start. For these
subsequences the according value sequences are crunched together, also. The value 0 is
used to start an extended information block (that is just partially implemented, though).
One could think of two ways to make a binary mapfile. First method would be first to write
a list of all key codes, and then to write a list of all value codes. Second method, used
here, appends to all partial key code lists the according crunched value code lists. This
makes value codes a little bit closer to key codes.
Note: the file format is still in a very liquid state. Neither rely on that it will stay
as this, nor that the description is bugless, nor that all features are implemented.
STRUCTURE:
<main>:
offset structure value
0x00 word 0x27b8 (magic)
0x02 @(<extended> || <submapping>)
The mapfile ends with extended mode <end> in main stream.
<submapping>:
0x00 byte != 0 charsize1 (bits)
0x01 byte n1 number of chars for one entry
0x02 byte charsize2 (bits)
0x03 byte n2 number of chars for one entry
0x04 @(<extended> || <key_seq> || <key_val_seq)
bs1=int((charsize1+7)/8), bs2=int((charsize2+7)/8)
One submapping ends when <mapend> entry occurs.
<key_val_seq>:
0x00 size=0|1|2|4 n, number of sequential characters
size bs1 key1
+bs1 bs2 value1
+bs2 bs1 key2
+bs1 bs2 value2
...
key_val_seq ends, if either file ends (n = infinite mode) or n pairs are read.
<key_seq>:
0x00 byte n, number of sequential characters
0x01 bs1 key_start, first character of sequence
1+bs1 @(<extended> || <val_seq>)
A key sequence starts with a byte count telling how long the sequence is. It is
followed by the key start code. After this comes a list of value sequences. The list
of value sequences ends, if sum(m) equals n.
<val_seq>:
0x00 byte m, number of sequential characters
0x01 bs2 val_start, first character of sequence
<extended>:
0x00 byte 0
0x01 byte ftype
0x02 byte fsize, size of following structure
0x03 fsize bytes something
For future extensions or private use one can insert here 1..255 byte long streams.
ftype can have values 30..255, values 0..29 are reserved. Modi are not fully defined
now and could change. They will be explained later.
TO BE DONE
- Something clever, when a character has no translation.
- Direct charset -> charset mapping.
- Better performance.
- Support for mappings according to RFC 1345.
SEE ALSO
- File "REGISTRY" and binary mappings in directory "Unicode/Map" of your perl library
path
- recode(1), map(1), mkmapfile(1), Unicode::Map(3), Unicode::Map8(3),
Unicode::String(3), Unicode::CharName(3), mirrorMappings(1)
- RFC 1345
- Mappings at Unicode consortium ftp://ftp.unicode.org/MAPPINGS/
- Registrated Internet character sets ftp://dkuug.dk/i18n/charmaps/
- 2do: more references
AUTHOR
Martin Schwartz <martin@nacho.de>