Encoding Rules

A VS Code extension that automatically opens files with the correct encoding based on file path rules.

Useful for legacy projects, imported files, and repositories that contain a mix of UTF-8 and non-UTF-8 text files.

Features

• Automatically detects matching files when they are opened.
• Applies a configured encoding based on file path patterns.
• Works with path-based rules using glob patterns.
• Helps with legacy files that need a specific encoding.
• Keeps encoding decisions in VS Code settings.

Configuration

Add encoding rules in your VS Code settings:

{
  "encodingRules.rules": {
    "windows1257": [
      "**/legacy/**"
    ],
    "utf8": [
      "**/*.txt"
    ]
  }
}

Each rule contains:

Supported Encodings

Supported encodings depend on VS Code's built-in encoding support.

Common examples:

• utf8
• utf8bom
• windows1252
• shiftjis
• gbk
• gb18030

Glob Patterns

Rules use glob patterns to match files.

Examples:

Match all text files

**/*.txt

Matches all .txt files.

Match files in a folder

**/legacy/**

Matches all files inside folders named legacy.

Match files inside a source folder

src/**/*.c

Matches C files inside src and its subfolders.

Why?

Many projects still contain files created with older tools and different character encodings.

Manually selecting:

File → Reopen with Encoding

every time a file is opened is repetitive and easy to forget.

Encoding Rules lets you define these choices once.

Known Limitations

• Encoding detection is not performed. Rules are based on file paths.
• Incorrect rules may cause files to be opened with the wrong encoding.
• Some VS Code internal documents may not have normal file paths.
• The extension does not modify file contents; it only controls how files are opened.

Support

If Encoding Rules saves you time, consider supporting development:

License

MIT License