[Skip to main content](#vessel-content) # Strange characters in 'product names' for Create XLS option ## - **[Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile")** - [![Day's Avatar](https://www.hikashop.com/media/kunena/core/svg/person.svg)](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile") Topic Author - [ Offline](/forum/user/45951-day) Less More - Posts: 29 - Thank you received: 1 - - 5 years 7 months ago [\#331179](#331179) by [Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile") *[Strange characters in 'product names' for Create XLS option](/forum/44-mass-actions/902259-strange-characters-in-product-names-for-create-xls-option#331179 "-- HikaShop version -- : 4.4.1 (build 21-03-24) -- Joomla version -- : 3.9.25 -- PHP version -- : 7.4.15 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Firefox 86.01 Hi I'm getting strange characters in the XLS created by the Create XLS mass action. They appear in the 'Product Name' and 'Product Page Title' columns and maybe others but I haven't chosen to write any other columns yet. See attached screen grab of the XLS columns. They to do not appear in the backend screens, the products have mostly been created by adding them to an 'exported' Products menu CSV and then re-importing via the same option. Why are they there? Can I remove them? They don't appear if I change the mass action file type from XLS to CSV. Nor do they appear if I 'export' the products to a CSV via Products menu export option. Seems to be linked to XLS format only? I'm using LibreOffice on a Mac to open the XLS/CSVs Thanks")* was created by *[Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile")* -- HikaShop version -- : 4.4.1 (build 21-03-24) -- Joomla version -- : 3.9.25 -- PHP version -- : 7.4.15 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Firefox 86.01 Hi I'm getting strange characters in the XLS created by the Create XLS mass action. They appear in the 'Product Name' and 'Product Page Title' columns and maybe others but I haven't chosen to write any other columns yet. See attached screen grab of the XLS columns. They to do not appear in the backend screens, the products have mostly been created by adding them to an 'exported' Products menu CSV and then re-importing via the same option. Why are they there? Can I remove them? They don't appear if I change the mass action file type from XLS to CSV. Nor do they appear if I 'export' the products to a CSV via Products menu export option. Seems to be linked to XLS format only? I'm using LibreOffice on a Mac to open the XLS/CSVs Thanks [ ![hika-xls-cols.jpeg](/forum/attachment/52374) ](/forum/attachment/52374 "...-xls-cols.jpeg") - [ ![hika-xls-cols.jpeg](/forum/attachment/52374) ](/forum/attachment/52374 "...-xls-cols.jpeg") [ ](/forum/attachment/52374?download=1 "...-xls-cols.jpeg") Please [Log in](/login?return=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGlrYXNob3AuY29tL2ZvcnVtLzQ0LW1hc3MtYWN0aW9ucy85MDIyNTktc3RyYW5nZS1jaGFyYWN0ZXJzLWluLXByb2R1Y3QtbmFtZXMtZm9yLWNyZWF0ZS14bHMtb3B0aW9uP3RtcGw9bWFya2Rvd24=) or [Create an account](/component/users/registration?Itemid=101) to join the conversation. - **[nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile")** - [![nicolas's Avatar](https://www.hikashop.com/media/kunena/avatars/resized/size144/users/avatar63.png)](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile") - [ Away](/forum/user/63-nicolas) Less More - Posts: 86289 - Thank you received: 14265 - - 5 years 7 months ago [\#331187](#331187) by [nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile") Replied by *[nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile")* on topic *[Strange characters in 'product names' for Create XLS option](/forum/44-mass-actions/902259-strange-characters-in-product-names-for-create-xls-option#331187 "-- HikaShop version -- : 4.4.1 (build 21-03-24) -- Joomla version -- : 3.9.25 -- PHP version -- : 7.4.15 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Firefox 86.01 Hi I'm getting strange characters in the XLS created by the Create XLS mass action. They appear in the 'Product Name' and 'Product Page Title' columns and maybe others but I haven't chosen to write any other columns yet. See attached screen grab of the XLS columns. They to do not appear in the backend screens, the products have mostly been created by adding them to an 'exported' Products menu CSV and then re-importing via the same option. Why are they there? Can I remove them? They don't appear if I change the mass action file type from XLS to CSV. Nor do they appear if I 'export' the products to a CSV via Products menu export option. Seems to be linked to XLS format only? I'm using LibreOffice on a Mac to open the XLS/CSVs Thanks")* Hi, I suppose these are accented characters. This must mean that you don't open the file with UTF8. I'm not sure if there is an option for that with you open a XLS with libreoffice ? Could you provide a copy of the file so that I could try openning it out on my end to confirm whether the issue is in the file or in the way the file is openned ? Please [Log in](/login?return=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGlrYXNob3AuY29tL2ZvcnVtLzQ0LW1hc3MtYWN0aW9ucy85MDIyNTktc3RyYW5nZS1jaGFyYWN0ZXJzLWluLXByb2R1Y3QtbmFtZXMtZm9yLWNyZWF0ZS14bHMtb3B0aW9uP3RtcGw9bWFya2Rvd24=) or [Create an account](/component/users/registration?Itemid=101) to join the conversation. - **[Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile")** - [![Day's Avatar](https://www.hikashop.com/media/kunena/core/svg/person.svg)](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile") Topic Author - [ Offline](/forum/user/45951-day) Less More - Posts: 29 - Thank you received: 1 - - 5 years 6 months ago - 5 years 6 months ago [\#331223](#331223) by [Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile") Replied by *[Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile")* on topic *[Strange characters in 'product names' for Create XLS option](/forum/44-mass-actions/902259-strange-characters-in-product-names-for-create-xls-option#331223 "-- HikaShop version -- : 4.4.1 (build 21-03-24) -- Joomla version -- : 3.9.25 -- PHP version -- : 7.4.15 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Firefox 86.01 Hi I'm getting strange characters in the XLS created by the Create XLS mass action. They appear in the 'Product Name' and 'Product Page Title' columns and maybe others but I haven't chosen to write any other columns yet. See attached screen grab of the XLS columns. They to do not appear in the backend screens, the products have mostly been created by adding them to an 'exported' Products menu CSV and then re-importing via the same option. Why are they there? Can I remove them? They don't appear if I change the mass action file type from XLS to CSV. Nor do they appear if I 'export' the products to a CSV via Products menu export option. Seems to be linked to XLS format only? I'm using LibreOffice on a Mac to open the XLS/CSVs Thanks")* Hi I can't find a way to open an XLS in another character set with LibreOffice, it simply opens and I can't see anything on the menus to convert. If I open a CSV file I do get the chance to change the character set and UTF8 is the default. I have attached the XLS but have Zipped it so I can attach it. I guess the work around, if needed, is to create as an CSV, open it and save it as an XLS (which does seem to work). But good to know about the file though. **Edit**: I have now managed to get my old XP VM running that has Xcel installed and the mass actions created XLS opens with the same characters as in LibreOffice. So maybe they are in the XLS? See what you can find out. Thanks v much Last edit: 5 years 6 months ago by [Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile"). Reason: Further information has been acquired which could help. Please [Log in](/login?return=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGlrYXNob3AuY29tL2ZvcnVtLzQ0LW1hc3MtYWN0aW9ucy85MDIyNTktc3RyYW5nZS1jaGFyYWN0ZXJzLWluLXByb2R1Y3QtbmFtZXMtZm9yLWNyZWF0ZS14bHMtb3B0aW9uP3RtcGw9bWFya2Rvd24=) or [Create an account](/component/users/registration?Itemid=101) to join the conversation. - **[nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile")** - [![nicolas's Avatar](https://www.hikashop.com/media/kunena/avatars/resized/size144/users/avatar63.png)](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile") - [ Away](/forum/user/63-nicolas) Less More - Posts: 86289 - Thank you received: 14265 - - 5 years 6 months ago - 5 years 6 months ago [\#331226](#331226) by [nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile") Replied by *[nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile")* on topic *[Strange characters in 'product names' for Create XLS option](/forum/44-mass-actions/902259-strange-characters-in-product-names-for-create-xls-option#331226 "-- HikaShop version -- : 4.4.1 (build 21-03-24) -- Joomla version -- : 3.9.25 -- PHP version -- : 7.4.15 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Firefox 86.01 Hi I'm getting strange characters in the XLS created by the Create XLS mass action. They appear in the 'Product Name' and 'Product Page Title' columns and maybe others but I haven't chosen to write any other columns yet. See attached screen grab of the XLS columns. They to do not appear in the backend screens, the products have mostly been created by adding them to an 'exported' Products menu CSV and then re-importing via the same option. Why are they there? Can I remove them? They don't appear if I change the mass action file type from XLS to CSV. Nor do they appear if I 'export' the products to a CSV via Products menu export option. Seems to be linked to XLS format only? I'm using LibreOffice on a Mac to open the XLS/CSVs Thanks")* Hi, I digged a bit and the issue is that apparently, the BIFF5 format we use to generate the XLS files doesn't support UTF8: [ stackoverflow.com/questions/20999380/php...8-character-encoding](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/20999380/php-export-to-binary-excel-file-utf-8-character-encoding) Here is a zip of the file administrator/components/com_hikashop/helpers/spreadsheet.php that I've modified to use BIFF8 as recommended on that link: *This attachment is hidden for guests. Please log in or register to see it.* Try replacing the file and doing tests if you really want XLS files. I tested it on my end and the accents then worked correctly on libreoffice calc after that change. However, after that change I wasn't able to open the XLS at all with Excel... So I'm not sure doing that change is a good idea. Last edit: 5 years 6 months ago by [nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile"). Please [Log in](/login?return=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGlrYXNob3AuY29tL2ZvcnVtLzQ0LW1hc3MtYWN0aW9ucy85MDIyNTktc3RyYW5nZS1jaGFyYWN0ZXJzLWluLXByb2R1Y3QtbmFtZXMtZm9yLWNyZWF0ZS14bHMtb3B0aW9uP3RtcGw9bWFya2Rvd24=) or [Create an account](/component/users/registration?Itemid=101) to join the conversation. - **[Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile")** - [![Day's Avatar](https://www.hikashop.com/media/kunena/core/svg/person.svg)](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile") Topic Author - [ Offline](/forum/user/45951-day) Less More - Posts: 29 - Thank you received: 1 - - 5 years 6 months ago [\#331296](#331296) by [Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile") Replied by *[Day](/forum/user/45951-day "View Day's Profile")* on topic *[Strange characters in 'product names' for Create XLS option](/forum/44-mass-actions/902259-strange-characters-in-product-names-for-create-xls-option#331296 "-- HikaShop version -- : 4.4.1 (build 21-03-24) -- Joomla version -- : 3.9.25 -- PHP version -- : 7.4.15 -- Browser(s) name and version -- : Firefox 86.01 Hi I'm getting strange characters in the XLS created by the Create XLS mass action. They appear in the 'Product Name' and 'Product Page Title' columns and maybe others but I haven't chosen to write any other columns yet. See attached screen grab of the XLS columns. They to do not appear in the backend screens, the products have mostly been created by adding them to an 'exported' Products menu CSV and then re-importing via the same option. Why are they there? Can I remove them? They don't appear if I change the mass action file type from XLS to CSV. Nor do they appear if I 'export' the products to a CSV via Products menu export option. Seems to be linked to XLS format only? I'm using LibreOffice on a Mac to open the XLS/CSVs Thanks")* Thanks for investigating. I see what you mean. I'll make a note of this but for the future but maybe the simplest option is for me to simply open the CSV file in LOffice and save it as XLS if I really want an XLS. The following user(s) said Thank You: [nicolas](/forum/user/63-nicolas "View nicolas's Profile") Please [Log in](/login?return=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGlrYXNob3AuY29tL2ZvcnVtLzQ0LW1hc3MtYWN0aW9ucy85MDIyNTktc3RyYW5nZS1jaGFyYWN0ZXJzLWluLXByb2R1Y3QtbmFtZXMtZm9yLWNyZWF0ZS14bHMtb3B0aW9uP3RtcGw9bWFya2Rvd24=) or [Create an account](/component/users/registration?Itemid=101) to join the conversation. 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