How to read XML file in Encoding utf-8

Question

I'm trying to read an XML file which has some Chinese characters in it. While writing the information in the file, encoding UTF-8 works properly and Chinese characters are written in the file properly. But when I try to read it it shows some ????? instead.

I'm just wondering if there is anyone who has already encountered whit this problem and can give me some clue.

Answer 1

First, please make sure the data is actually readable in UTF8, the way you do this is:

• Download a notepad that lets you specify the encoding being used to view the document like Notepad2.
• Open your document in Notepad2
• File -> Encoding -> UTF8

If you see the same garbled text, you did not actually create UTF8 encoded xml, but something else.

Back to your question:
Since you don't give us a lot of info how you parse the XML in the first place here is an example of how you would specifically parse it with UTF8:

var xmlDoc = XDocument.Parse(
                 File.ReadAllText("filelocation", System.Text.Encoding.UTF8));

The XDocument class is part for the System.Xml.Linq namespace.

Also if you want to optimize this you might not want pass in a stream rather than the string containing the entire xml document.