How do you process text files with hidden BOM characters in FileMaker?
Sample file
BOM characters are invisible characters that can be added to a text file as additional information. They are used, for example, to define a specific text coding. In FileMaker add-ons, JSON files are given such a BOM character. This example file shows how to deal with it.
FileMaker add-ons use JSON files with BOM characters
BOM characters are invisible. Anyone who opens a text with a BOM symbol in a normal text editor will not see this symbol. Nevertheless, the character can decide whether a file is recognized by a software or not. The JSON files of a FileMaker add-on can easily be processed with FileMaker. If you want to save the information back into a JSON file, the problems begin. This has nothing to do with whether the text is saved with the correct encoding, it needs additional information – that of the BOM. If the BOM is missing, Filemaker can no longer recognize the add-on.
How to find a BOM character
BOM characters become visible when opening a text file with hexadecimal encoding. This preserves all parts of the text – not just the text, but also hidden characters. “Hex Fiend” on Mac, for example, is an editor that can display files in this way. In the screenshot below you can see the BOM on the left (the first 6 characters: EF BB BF ). In the right part this is represented by three … These hints are missing in normal text editors.
JSON file from a FileMaker Add-on opened in Hex Fiend.
What are BOM characters?
BOM stands for Byte Order Mark and is a mark in the text. The following description comes from Wikipedia:
“A byte order mark (BOM; German byte order mark) is a characteristic byte sequence at the beginning of a data stream that encodes the Unicode character U + FEFF (English zero width no-break space).”
The whole article on Wikipedia describes the type of character and different variants. More on this at > Wikipedia
Example file for processing with FileMaker
A free sample file shows how the information in an external text file can be read and rewritten including a BOM character.
