Converting a string to utf-8 using Python: A step-by-step guide

Question

Converting a string to utf-8 using Python: A step-by-step guide

My Python server is receiving utf-8 characters from a browser, but it's returning ASCII encoding when I retrieve the data from the query string. How can I convert this plain string to utf-8 and ensure Python recognizes it as such?

IMPORTANT: The string received from the web is already encoded in UTF-8; my goal is for Python to interpret it as utf-8 and not ASCII.

python python-2.7 unicode utf-8

Answer 1

Answer №1

Python 2 Strings

>>> plain_string = "Hi!"
>>> unicode_string = u"Hi!"
>>> type(plain_string), type(unicode_string)
(<type 'str'>, <type 'unicode'>)

^ Explanation of byte string (plain_string) and unicode string.

>>> s = "Hello!"
>>> u = unicode(s, "utf-8")

^ How to convert to unicode with specified encoding.

Python 3 Update

All strings in Python 3 are unicode. The unicode function has been removed. Refer to @Noumenon's answer for more details.

Answer 2

Python 2 Strings

>>> plain_string = "Hi!"
>>> unicode_string = u"Hi!"
>>> type(plain_string), type(unicode_string)
(<type 'str'>, <type 'unicode'>)

^ Explanation of byte string (plain_string) and unicode string.

>>> s = "Hello!"
>>> u = unicode(s, "utf-8")

^ How to convert to unicode with specified encoding.

Python 3 Update

All strings in Python 3 are unicode. The unicode function has been removed. Refer to @Noumenon's answer for more details.

Answer 3

Answer №2

If you're still facing issues with the methods mentioned earlier, another approach is to instruct Python to disregard any parts of a string that cannot be converted to utf-8:

stringnamehere.decode('utf-8', 'ignore')

Answer 4

If you're still facing issues with the methods mentioned earlier, another approach is to instruct Python to disregard any parts of a string that cannot be converted to utf-8:

stringnamehere.decode('utf-8', 'ignore')

Answer 5

Answer №3

It might seem excessive, but dealing with both ascii and unicode in the same files can become cumbersome when repeatedly decoding. Here is a method I implement to handle this:

def convert_to_unicode(input_text):
    if type(input_text) != unicode:
        input_text =  input_text.decode('utf-8')
    return input_text

Answer 6

It might seem excessive, but dealing with both ascii and unicode in the same files can become cumbersome when repeatedly decoding. Here is a method I implement to handle this:

def convert_to_unicode(input_text):
    if type(input_text) != unicode:
        input_text =  input_text.decode('utf-8')
    return input_text

Answer 7

Answer №4

To include special characters in your Python script, simply add the following line at the beginning of your .py file:

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

Then you can encode strings directly in your code like this:

utfstr = "サムライ"

Answer 8

To include special characters in your Python script, simply add the following line at the beginning of your .py file:

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

Then you can encode strings directly in your code like this:

utfstr = "サムライ"

Answer 9

Answer №5

town = 'Ribeir\xc3\xa3o Preto'
print town.decode('cp1252').encode('utf-8')

Answer 10

town = 'Ribeir\xc3\xa3o Preto'
print town.decode('cp1252').encode('utf-8')

Answer 11

Answer №6

It appears that you are working with a utf-8 encoded byte-string in your code.

The process of converting a byte-string to a unicode string is often referred to as decoding (encoding from unicode to byte-string is known as encoding).

To accomplish this task, you can utilize the unicode function or the decode method. Here's how:

unicodestr = unicode(bytestr, encoding)
unicodestr = unicode(bytestr, "utf-8")

Alternatively, you can use the following syntax:

unicodestr = bytestr.decode(encoding)
unicodestr = bytestr.decode("utf-8")

Answer 12

It appears that you are working with a utf-8 encoded byte-string in your code.

The process of converting a byte-string to a unicode string is often referred to as decoding (encoding from unicode to byte-string is known as encoding).

To accomplish this task, you can utilize the unicode function or the decode method. Here's how:

unicodestr = unicode(bytestr, encoding)
unicodestr = unicode(bytestr, "utf-8")

Alternatively, you can use the following syntax:

unicodestr = bytestr.decode(encoding)
unicodestr = bytestr.decode("utf-8")

Answer 13

Answer №7

In Python 3.6, there is no need for a built-in unicode() method as strings are already stored as unicode by default. No conversion is necessary. For example:

my_string = "\u221a25"
print(my_string)
>>> √25

Answer 14

In Python 3.6, there is no need for a built-in unicode() method as strings are already stored as unicode by default. No conversion is necessary. For example:

my_string = "\u221a25"
print(my_string)
>>> √25

Answer 15

Answer №8

Utilize the ord() and unichar() functions for translating characters into their corresponding Unicode numbers. Each character in Unicode is assigned a unique numerical value, akin to an index. Python provides convenient methods for converting between characters and their numeric representations, although there are some limitations as demonstrated with the character "ñ". Hopefully, this explanation proves useful.

>>> char = 'ñ'
>>> unicode_char = char.decode('utf8')
>>> unicode_char
u'\xf1'
>>> ord(unicode_char)
241
>>> unichr(241)
u'\xf1'
>>> print unichr(241).encode('utf8')
ñ

Answer 16

Utilize the ord() and unichar() functions for translating characters into their corresponding Unicode numbers. Each character in Unicode is assigned a unique numerical value, akin to an index. Python provides convenient methods for converting between characters and their numeric representations, although there are some limitations as demonstrated with the character "ñ". Hopefully, this explanation proves useful.

>>> char = 'ñ'
>>> unicode_char = char.decode('utf8')
>>> unicode_char
u'\xf1'
>>> ord(unicode_char)
241
>>> unichr(241)
u'\xf1'
>>> print unichr(241).encode('utf8')
ñ

Answer 17

Answer №9

The URL undergoes translation to ASCII before reaching the Python server, appearing as a Unicode string such as: "T%C3%A9st%C3%A3o"

Within Python, characters like "é" and "ã" are recognized as %C3%A9 and %C3%A3 respectively.

To encode a URL in a similar manner, follow this example:

import urllib
url = "T%C3%A9st%C3%A3o"
print(urllib.parse.unquote(url))
>> Téstão

Visit for more information.

Answer 18

The URL undergoes translation to ASCII before reaching the Python server, appearing as a Unicode string such as: "T%C3%A9st%C3%A3o"

Within Python, characters like "é" and "ã" are recognized as %C3%A9 and %C3%A3 respectively.

To encode a URL in a similar manner, follow this example:

import urllib
url = "T%C3%A9st%C3%A3o"
print(urllib.parse.unquote(url))
>> Téstão

Visit for more information.

Answer 19

Answer №10

First and foremost, in Python, the variable str is represented using Unicode.
Additionally, UTF-8 serves as a standard encoding method for converting Unicode strings into bytes. Various encoding standards exist, such as UTF-16, ASCII, and SHIFT-JIS.

When a client transmits data to your server using UTF-8, they are essentially sending a series of bytes, not a str.

If you find yourself receiving a str, it indicates that the "library" or "framework" being utilized has converted some random bytes into a str implicitly.

Beneath the surface, all that exists are merely a collection of bytes. In this scenario, simply request the "library" to provide the content in the form of bytes, allowing you to handle the decoding process on your own (if the library cannot comply with this request, it may be attempting to perform dubious actions, hence should be avoided).

To decode UTF-8 encoded bytes into a str, utilize: bs.decode('utf-8')
To encode a str into UTF-8 bytes, use: s.encode('utf-8')

Answer 20

First and foremost, in Python, the variable str is represented using Unicode.
Additionally, UTF-8 serves as a standard encoding method for converting Unicode strings into bytes. Various encoding standards exist, such as UTF-16, ASCII, and SHIFT-JIS.

When a client transmits data to your server using UTF-8, they are essentially sending a series of bytes, not a str.

If you find yourself receiving a str, it indicates that the "library" or "framework" being utilized has converted some random bytes into a str implicitly.

Beneath the surface, all that exists are merely a collection of bytes. In this scenario, simply request the "library" to provide the content in the form of bytes, allowing you to handle the decoding process on your own (if the library cannot comply with this request, it may be attempting to perform dubious actions, hence should be avoided).

To decode UTF-8 encoded bytes into a str, utilize: bs.decode('utf-8')
To encode a str into UTF-8 bytes, use: s.encode('utf-8')

Answer 21

Answer №11

To handle encoding and decoding in Python, utilize the built-in codecs module.

import codecs
codecs.decode(b'Decode me', 'utf-8')

Answer 22

To handle encoding and decoding in Python, utilize the built-in codecs module.

import codecs
codecs.decode(b'Decode me', 'utf-8')

Answer 23

Answer №12

Another option is to accomplish the same task by using the following code:

import unidecode
unidecode(inputString)

Answer 24

Another option is to accomplish the same task by using the following code:

import unidecode
unidecode(inputString)

Answer 25

Answer №13

Absolutely, it is possible to include

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

at the beginning of your source code.

To learn more about this, visit https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0263/

Answer 26

Absolutely, it is possible to include

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

at the beginning of your source code.

To learn more about this, visit https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0263/

Converting a string to utf-8 using Python: A step-by-step guide

Answer №1

Python 2 Strings

Python 3 Update

Answer №2

Answer №3

Answer №4

Answer №5

Answer №6

Answer №7

Answer №8

Answer №9

Answer №10

Answer №11

Answer №12

Answer №13

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