# Differences between ActionScript and Java

# Unicode support for ActionScript

Macromedia Flash supports Unicode text encoding for ActionScript. All text in a computer is encoded as a series of bytes. Unicode can encode most languages and characters of the world.

Unicode encoding for ActionScript means that you can include text in different languages in an ActionScript file. For example, you could include text in English, Japanese, and French in the same file. Unicode encoding supports characters in multiple language simultaneously.

You can select options in the ActionScript Editor Preferences to specify the type of encoding to use when importing or exporting ActionScript files. You can select either Unicode encoding (UTF-8, the 8-bit Unicode format) or Default Encoding-that is, the encoding form supported by the language your system is currently using, also called the traditional code page.

In general, if you are importing or exporting ActionScript files in UTF-8 format, you should use the UTF-8 preference. If you are importing or exporting files in the traditional code page in use on your system, you should use the Default Encoding preference.

If you receive a warning message when exporting ActionScript files, you should change the export encoding preference. You can turn this warning off in ActionScript Editor Preferences.

To select text encoding options for importing or exporting ActionScript files:

In the ActionScript Editor tab of the Preferences dialog box, do one of the following under Editing Options:

- For Open/Import, select UTF-8 to open or import using Unicode encoding, or select Default Encoding to open or import using the encoding form of the language currently used by your system.
- For Save/Export, select UTF-8 to save or export using Unicode encoding, or select Default Encoding to save or export using the encoding form of the language currently used by your system.

To turn off or on the Export Encoding Warning:

- In the Warnings tab of the Preferences dialog box, click Warn on Encoding Conflicts when Exporting .as Files.