Module:DecodeEncode/doc

This module is rated as ready for general use. It has reached a mature state, is considered relatively stable and bug-free, and may be used wherever appropriate. It can be mentioned on help pages and other Wikipedia resources as an option for new users. To minimise server load and avoid disruptive output, improvements should be developed through sandbox testing rather than repeated trial-and-error editing.

This Lua module is used on approximately 148,000 pages. To avoid major disruption and server load, any changes should be tested in the module's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own module sandbox. The tested changes can be added to this page in a single edit. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

Implements Lua functions mw.text.decode, mw.text.encode in a module.

{{#invoke:decodeEncode|decode|s=Source text©}} → Source text©

See List of XML and HTML character entity references.

Decodes Named Entities from entity name into a regular (unicode) character:

© → ©

> → >

All well-defined named entities are decoded (HTML Named character references, formally: as defined in the PHP table).

A regular, rendered sentence:

"At 100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we , we ⁄walked⁄."

In code:

"At 100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we ⁄walked⁄." -- wikitext

Processing:

{{#invoke:decodeEncode|decode|s=At 100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we ⁄walked⁄.}} →

At 100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we ⁄walked⁄. -- In code: straight characters, no named entities.

Renders, again:

"At 100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we ⁄walked⁄."

By setting |subset_only=true, only these five entity names are decoded: '&lt;', '&gt;', '&amp;', '&quot;', '&nbsp;' (that is, into '<', '>', '&', '"', ' ').

Note: There is a difference with the relevant Lua parameter. (This only concerns your task if you also work directly with the Lua mw.text.decode function). Lua documentation defines parameter |decodeNamedEntities=, having this effect: when omitted or false, only the reduced set of entities is recognized and decoded. This use of 'false' is inverted in using |subset_only=: |decodeNamedEntities=false = |subset_only=true.

Also, this module ignores the "omitted" logic: |subset_only= should be set explicitly to 'true' to be effective.

Function encode encodes some entity-named characters into that name (for example: & → &).

Regular sentence:

"At >100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we walked. ©"

In code:

"At >100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we walked. ©"

Encode:

{{#invoke:decodeEncode|encode|s=At >100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we walked. ©|charset=&<>{{!}}°"'&©}}

→

At >100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we walked. ©

Renders as:

"At >100 °F, & with a "burning" sun above, we walked. ©"

Per Lua documentation, only a small set of characters is processed. The characterset can be set (expanded) by using |charset=.

Example: |charset=<>" \'& (the default), |charset=<>°"'&©{{!}}; characters not in the default will be replaced by their decimal entity: © → © (hexadecimal number, not decimal nor named &copy;)

• 13 Sep 2021: NOTE: The encode function with user-supplied charset is now used productively in {{R/superscript}} and {{R/ref}}. Before implementing breaking changes here, these templates need to be adjusted accordingly!

• 26 Sep 2021: U+2009   THIN SPACE (&thinsp;, &ThinSpace;)

Note: Possible bug: Decoding   works, but   doesn't.

Resolved in code.

• 4 Feb 2023: U+03B5 ε GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON (&epsi;, &epsilon;)

See Module talk:DecodeEncode § Bug report: bad decoding of U+03B5 ε (epsilon)

Resolved in code.

• mw.text.decode
• mw.text.encode
• Module:Urldecode