Feature Request: Add encoding parameter to write_to_file tool for cross-platform compatibility #4423
indiesewell
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Problem Description:
The current write_to_file tool defaults to UTF-8 encoding when creating files. While this is a web standard, it creates significant compatibility issues with widely-used desktop software, particularly Microsoft Excel, especially on the Windows platform. These applications often require a specific file encoding, such as UTF-16 LE (with BOM), to correctly parse and display tabular data from files like CSV or TSV.
Without the correct encoding, any generated TSV/CSV file opens as a single column of garbled text in Excel, rendering it unusable without manual intervention.
Current Workaround:
The only way to resolve this is to create and execute a separate script (e.g., in Python) after every single write_to_file operation. This script's sole purpose is to read the newly created UTF-8 file and re-save it with the correct utf-16 encoding. This workaround is highly inefficient, adds significant overhead to any data-centric workflow, and is prone to user error.
Proposed Solution:
Enhance the write_to_file tool by adding an optional encoding parameter. This would allow users to specify the desired file encoding directly at the time of creation.
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