Unicode Implementation in Windows NT 3.1 and 3.5

Last reviewed: November 2, 1995
Article ID: Q103977

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Win32 Application Programming Interface (API) included with:
```
    - Microsoft Windows NT versions 3.1 and 3.5
```

SUMMARY

Windows NT is the first widely available operating system to be built upon the Unicode character encoding. Almost all of the strings used in the system have 16-bits reserved for each character. However, Windows NT does not yet realize the Unicode ideal of offering an editor capable of handling one document containing all of the languages of the world.

MORE INFORMATION

Unicode support in Windows NT:

All Windows USER objects support Unicode strings.
The Win32 console is Unicode enabled.
NTFS supports Unicode filenames.
All of the information strings in the registry are Unicode.
The L_10646.TTF (Lucida Sans Unicode) font covers over 1300 Unicode characters.
Most of the TrueType fonts include a Unicode encoding table.

Unicode features missing from Windows NT:

There is no font support for all of the Unicode characters.
Although the Win32 console is Unicode enabled, it is not possible to use Unicode fonts in the console. Most Unicode characters will be represented by the "default character" of the System font.
Winhlp32 is not Unicode enabled.
There is no general Unicode input method in Windows NT version 3.1. The shell applets and File Manager fully support Unicode. You can use the new Notepad and Character Mapper applets to create files with Unicode text. (Choose the Lucida Sans Unicode font in the Character Mapper, then choose the desired Unicode characters in the Character Mapper and copy them to the clipboard. Paste the clipboard contents into Notepad, making sure Notepad has the Lucida Sans Unicode font selected, and save the file as a "Unicode Files". Note, this same process can be used to give files Unicode filenames.)
The FAT and HPFS file systems do not support Unicode filenames. (Nor will they in the future; to accomplish this, use NTFS.)

Additional reference words: 3.10 3.50
KBCategory: kbui
KBSubcategory: UsrNls

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.