Error in C++ Unicode program for outputting Japanese text using MinGW

Question

Consider:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <cstdlib>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    wstring str = L"こんにちは";
    wcout << str << endl;
    system("pause");
}

I am trying to print Japanese (hello ) from a C++ program, but I am getting an error. I have saved this program in Notepad using Unicode encoding and then compiled it using MinGW 4.7.2, but I get the following error:

cd "E:\GCC test"
g++ -c unicode.cpp

Output:

unicode.cpp:1:1: error: stray '\377' in program
unicode.cpp:1:1: error: stray '\376' in program
unicode.cpp:1:1: error: stray '#' in program
unicode.cpp:3:4: error: invalid preprocessing directive #i
unicode.cpp:5:4: error: invalid preprocessing directive #i
unicode.cpp:1:5: error: 'i' does not name a type
unicode.cpp:11:2: error: 'i' does not name a type

1 ‘an error’, eh? What error?! 2 Unicode is not an encoding. — Biffen
– Biffen, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 8:03
E:\GCC test>g++ -c unicode.cpp unicode.cpp:1:1: error: stray '\377' in program unicode.cpp:1:1: error: stray '\376' in program unicode.cpp:1:1: error: stray '#' in program unicode.cpp:3:4: error: invalid preprocessing directive #i unicode.cpp:5:4: error: invalid preprocessing directive #i unicode.cpp:1:5: error: 'i' does not name a type unicode.cpp:11:2: error: 'i' does not name a type — Wasim
– Wasim, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 8:12
@Biffens: if unicode is not an encoding then what is option we get while saving a text file on windows in NOTEPAD under encoding, it says :ANSI, UNICODE,UNICODE BIG ENDIAN and UTF-8?? — Wasim
– Wasim, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 8:24
Have you tried UTF-8 (the best encoding there is (if you ask me))? — Biffen
– Biffen, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 8:27
@M.M u8"" and friends are supposed to solve that, but I've come across at least one compiler that didn't conform. — Biffen
– Biffen, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 9:24

Biffen · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-21 09:14:57Z

1

By the errors it looks like you've got a file in UTF-16LE with a BOM (Byte Order Mark), and that the compiler doesn't like that.

\377\376 = 0xfffe = a UTF-16LE BOM

Try removing the BOM, and/or try a different encoding. UTF-8 is an excellent encoding that doesn't need a BOM, and that most compilers and a lot of other tools will understand.

As for Unicode, it is not a binary character encoding. There are a few encodings that are ‘tied to’ Unicode, however. UTF-8 and UTF-16 are probably the most common such encodings.

If an editor offers to save a file in ‘Unicode encoding’, then try to stay away from that editor. If that editor is Notepad, then there are more reasons to stay away from it. Get yourself a proper editor for programming, one that understands encodings and EOLs, and that has syntax highlight, etc.

edited Mar 21, 2016 at 9:14

answered Mar 21, 2016 at 9:03

Biffen

6,3816 gold badges32 silver badges38 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

6 Comments

Wasim Over a year ago

i have tried with UTF-8 it got compiled and created an executable but nothing is getting printed to console.

Biffen Over a year ago

Once again; That seems like an entirely different issues, so post a new question.

legends2k Over a year ago

@Vickey Nothing or do you see unintelligible characters getting printed? If it's the latter, then your terminal's font doesn't have glyphs for Japanese characters. Try pasting the Japanese "hello" directly in the prompt e.g. > echo 'こんにちは' and see if it prints fine.

M.M Over a year ago

you have to jump through hoops to get Windows console applications to display unicode. You have to set codepage in the console, select a monospace font with the right glyphs (by editing the registry), and do the right thing in the program source. (For GUI programs it is easy though, Windows API supports unicode)

Wasim Over a year ago

@legends2k: my console is not recognizing こんにちは these japanese character when i do echo こんにちは....what to do??? help !

|

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Error in C++ Unicode program for outputting Japanese text using MinGW

1 Answer 1

6 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

6 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related