PHP: String to full ASCII

Question

I'm using an RTF converter and I need 240 as &#U050&#U052&#U048 but Im not to sure how to do this!?!

I have tried using the following function:

function string_to_ascii($string) {
    $ascii = NULL;
    for ($i = 0; $i < strlen($string); $i++) {
            $ascii += "&#U"+str_pad(ord($string[$i]),3,"0",STR_PAD_LEFT);
    }
    return($ascii);
}

But it still just outputs just the number (e.g. 2 = 50) and ord just makes it go mad.

I've tried echo "-&#U"+ord("2")+"-"; and I get 50416 !?!?

I have a feeling it might have something to do with encoding

&#U050 is not ASCII. It's an XML/HTML numeric entity, using unicode encoding. Anyway, what kind of insane software needs plain text characters to be entity encoded like that? — SDC
– SDC, Commented Jan 22, 2013 at 14:29
Hmmm, well, I've not used it, but a quick scan of the documentation only mentions using entities for non ASCII symbols like ©. And other examples seem to use plain text. As I say I've not used it, so if it really does need all that encoding then so be it, but I'd be very surprised. — SDC
– SDC, Commented Jan 22, 2013 at 14:51
I know. When I use a £ I have to use &#U163. It then won't let me use numbers or letters after it (I suppose till it hits a space). So 240 becomes &#U050&#U052&#U048 :( — Robert Johnstone
– Robert Johnstone, Commented Jan 24, 2013 at 10:32
Entity codes are supposed to end with a semi-colon -- ie &#U163;. That's how it knows it's finished the entity. Add a semi-colon to the end of your entities, and it let you use numbers and letters after it just fine. — SDC
– SDC, Commented Jan 24, 2013 at 10:37

nickb · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-22 14:30:50Z

1

I think you're over thinking this. Convert the string to an array with str_split, map ord to all of it, then if you want to format each one, use sprintf (or str_pad if you'd like), like this:

function string_to_ascii($string) {
    $array = array_map( 'ord', str_split( $string));
    // Optional formatting:
    foreach( $array as $k => &$v) {
        $v = sprintf( "%03d", $v);
    }
    return "&#U" . implode( "&#U", $array);
}

Now, when you pass string_to_ascii( '240'), you get back string(18) "&#U050&#U052&#U048".

answered Jan 22, 2013 at 14:30

nickb

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nickb · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-22 17:56:19Z

0

Just found this:

function to_ascii($string) {
    $ascii_string = '';
    foreach (str_split($string) as $char) {
        $ascii_string .= '&#' . ord($char) . ';';
    }
    return $ascii_string;
}

here

edited Jan 22, 2013 at 17:56

nickb

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answered Jan 22, 2013 at 14:29

Robert Johnstone

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