Character codepage settings for multilingual selection

[agridoc]

With the aid of Showing languages for easy guest/user selection http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=17595.msg144457#msg144457 I changed my code and added flags with links for Greek language (forum' s default) plus 4 additional languages. You can see the result in
http://www.aeromodelling.gr/ForumS/

In Coppermine Photo Gallery that I use bridged to SMF language selection is embedded. I notice there that the gallery' s default character codepage is retained.
http://www.aeromodelling.gr/album/

With SMF the character codepage is changed with the language and the Greek messages are not shown correctly. I use "Windows-1253" codepage which is the default codepage in the Greek translation of SMF. UTF-8 would be better but it is not popular in Greece so UTF-8 is out. Windows-1253 or ISO 8859-7 are the usual defaults for Greek webpages.

If you change the codepage from the browser the display is OK but this must be done in every page view.

I think the solution could be to change the display in the additional language' s index file.

Code Select Expand

// Locale (strftime, pspell_new) and spelling. (pspell_new, can be left as '' normally.)
// For more information see:
//   - http://www.php.net/function.pspell-new
//   - http://www.php.net/function.setlocale
// Again, SPELLING SHOULD BE '' 99% OF THE TIME!!  Please read this!
$txt['lang_locale'] = 'en_US';
$txt['lang_dictionary'] = 'en';
$txt['lang_spelling'] = 'american';

// Character set and right to left?
$txt['lang_character_set'] = 'ISO-8859-1';
$txt['lang_rtl'] = false;

The default codepage could be set to

Code Select Expand

$txt['lang_character_set'] = 'windows-1253';
I don' t think the other language settings should be changed but I am not sure.

Some characters will not show well in German and French but this is not so important. Of course a better solution would be welcomed.

You may ask why bothering about the correct display of Greek messages for a foreigner? The answer is that quite a few can read Greek but would prefer a navigation menu in their own language.

Similar needs could exist with other non Latin alphabet languages.

Another question is: could this codepage change affect indexes? I had a problem with PMs and post another thread in
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=31180.0

Your feedback as well as other opinions would be welcomed.