Re: [bug-gawk] binary mode for strings?

[arnold]

Petr Slansky <address@hidden> wrote:

> From my point of view, GAWK has to add some way to switch string processing
> functions to "old way" and to do it from script. Just add another magic
> variable... ;-)

Thank you for your opinion.

I disagree with you; gawk's job is to process text, not mess with
character encodings.  I cannot solve all the world's problems with
one program, and I have learned not to try.  Gawk already has too many
magic variables; they have been part of my painful learning curve.

I suggest that the main solution is to use scripting; real shell scripting
on Linux, and batch files (or cygwin or Windows Subsystem for Linux
on Windows) to process your files, using iconv or whatever other tool
is necessary.

Of course, since gawk is Free Software, you are free to change it as you
like (or hire someone to do it for you if you are not a C programmer),
and this is another possible option available to you.

You are also free to use mawk or Brian Kernighan's awk everywhere, and
that represents a third option.

Best wishes,

Arnold