Smart Encoding Converter

Smart Encoding Converter helps VS Code users detect likely legacy text encodings and convert files to a configured target encoding.

It is designed for old projects that often mix UTF-8 with GBK, GB18030, Big5, Shift_JIS, or UTF-16 files.

Features

• Prompt when an opened file does not match the configured target encoding.
• Detect the likely encoding of the current file.
• Convert the current file to the configured target encoding.
• Scan and convert matching files in the current workspace.
• Skip common binary and generated folders.

Commands

• Smart Encoding: Detect Current File Encoding
• Smart Encoding: Convert Current File
• Smart Encoding: Convert Workspace

Settings

{
  "smartEncodingConverter.autoConvertOnOpen": true,
  "smartEncodingConverter.promptOnOpen": true,
  "smartEncodingConverter.promptBeforeConvert": true,
  "smartEncodingConverter.targetEncoding": "utf8",
  "smartEncodingConverter.include": [
    "**/*.{c,h,cpp,hpp,txt,md,ini,cfg,log,java,js,ts,py,json,xml,html,css}"
  ],
  "smartEncodingConverter.exclude": [
    "**/.git/**",
    "**/node_modules/**",
    "**/dist/**",
    "**/build/**",
    "**/out/**",
    "**/.vscode/**"
  ],
  "smartEncodingConverter.minimumConfidence": 0.65
}

Supported target encodings:

• utf8
• utf8bom
• gb18030
• gbk
• big5
• shift_jis
• utf16le

Notes

Encoding detection is probabilistic. The extension asks before single-file conversion by default. Before running workspace conversion on an existing project, commit or back up your files.

When smartEncodingConverter.autoConvertOnOpen is enabled, high-confidence mismatched files are converted as soon as they are opened. Disable it if you prefer manual command-based conversion.

Encoding to gb18030, gbk, big5, or shift_jis requires the iconv-lite dependency. Run npm install in the extension folder before using those target encodings during development.

Packaging

Install Node.js and run:

npm install
npm run package

This creates a .vsix file that can be installed from VS Code's Extensions view.

Publishing

1. Replace publisher in package.json with your Marketplace publisher ID.
2. Create or verify your publisher in the VS Code Marketplace publisher management page.
3. Run:

npm install -g @vscode/vsce
vsce login <publisher-id>
vsce publish