XML Output code page

Question

Afternoon all,

I desperately need some help and Google isn't being to nice to me at the moment.

I have an Alteryx app that takes the XML from a current workflow/app/macro, adds a new tool (text input, for documentation purposes), saves the workflow as a new workflow with a new name and moves the original workflow into an archive folder location.

The app works perfectly(!) however, when a formula (in the workflow that is to be amended/copied etc), contains a special character (in this case a '£' sign) the new workflow that is created throws an error when it is opened.

Long story short and to the root of the problem, the new workflow that gets created, is encoded in 'ANSI'. Whereas it should be Unicode UTF-8. I have changed the output tool>code page to Unicode UTF-8, but when I open the new workflow in Notepad++ it is still encoded in ANSI

(I even changed the default code in User Settings>Localization to Unicode UTF-8, but still nothing works.

Does anyone have any idea how to force the output (Which is a csv, saved as .yx**(depending on either workflow/macro/app) by the way)

Also, tried using "ConvertToCodePage([<?xml version="1.0"?>],65001)" in a formula tool before the output tool, but that didn't do anything.

Rags1982 · Answer

Morning @apathetichell , @TheOC  and anyone else,
I think I may have solved it, and quite embarrassingly, it comes down to user error.

The app has two outputs, I had changed one to UTF-8, as above, but had forgotten about the other one, which was left as the default ISO-Latin. Seems like it was this second one causing the issue. 
So, if it may help anyone in the future, if you are creating a workflow via a workflow then ensure the output tool code page is set to 'UTF-8', otherwise it'll cause issues.

Rags1982 · Answer

Thanks @apathetichell

This is the strange thing, all other files that are generated are UTF-8. However, when a formula function contains a special character, the app is generating the new file as ANSI.

You reckon changing the output to plain text, from csv, will make a difference?

apathetichell · Answer

I'm not seeing this - when I write to a .yxmd file as plain text and include a pound sign the pound sign is a) showing up in the file. B)  in the raw workflow xml not being treated differently and c) the text file (extension .yxmd) being generated is UTF-8.

I also do not know if an alteryx file is set for ansi specific. I've opened a few in notepad on my system and they all show up at UTF-8. I do not believe I have anything odd in terms of settings.

I have seen issues with feeding UTF-8 characters into formula functions in Alteryx which I believe relates to the underlying C function and how Alteryx is passing in the value.