$buffer-xlate(5)

NAME

$buffer-xlate - Buffer on-save translation configuration

SYNOPSIS

$buffer-xlate

DESCRIPTION

$buffer-xlate defines the translation needed to be performed before the buffer is written to file, this variable is only ever used when the xlate(2m) buffer mode is enabled. The variable is a bitwise flag where each bit has the following meaning:

0x003


The lower 2 bits define the base translation, where a value of 0 indicates a lossless text file, 1 a UTF-8 encoded Uncode file, 2 a UTF-16 and 3 a UTF-32 encoded Unicode file.

0x004


When this bit is set and converting to UTF-16 or UTF-32 then the file is written in big-endian byte order, if clear the file is written in little-endian byte order.

0x008


When set a Unicode 'BOM' character (U+FEFF)is written out first.

NOTES

The value of this variable is set by the translate-buffer(2) command such that on saving the same format will be written out. As a result this value can be passed in to translate-buffer if the file is re-read.

The value of $buffer-xlate for a Unicode file can be safely changed to different formats, i.e. UTF-16 LE to UTF-32 BE etc. However, changing between lossless text and Unicode formats can have unexpected results due to additional Unicode character sequences and line termination styles.

SEE ALSO

translate-buffer(2), xlate(2m), save-buffer(2), reread-file(3), find-hfile(3), find-ufile(3).

Ref: $buffer-xlate(5) File: m5var017.5 Date: 2025/03/25

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