Output unicode strings in Windows console app

Question

Hi I was trying to output unicode string to a console with iostreams and failed.

I found this: Using unicode font in c++ console app and this snippet work

Answer 1

SetConsoleCP() and chcp does not the same!

Take this program snippet:

SetConsoleCP(65001)  // 65001 = UTF-8
static const char s[]="tränenüberströmt™\n";
DWORD slen=lstrlen(s);
WriteConsoleA(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE),s,slen,&slen,NULL);

The source code must be saved as UTF-8 without BOM (Byte Order Mark; Signature). Then, the Microsoft compiler cl.exe takes the UTF-8 strings as-is.
If this code is saved with BOM, cl.exe transcodes the string to ANSI (i.e. CP1252), which doesn't match to CP65001 (= UTF-8).

Change the display font to Lucidia Console, otherwise, UTF-8 output will not work at all.

• Type: chcp
• Answer: 850
• Type: test.exe
• Answer: tr├ñnen├╝berstr├ÂmtÔäó
• Type: chcp
• Answer: 65001 - This setting has changed by SetConsoleCP() but with no useful effect.
• Type: chcp 65001
• Type: test.exe
• Answer: tränenüberströmt™ - All OK now.

Tested with: German Windows XP SP3