Character-information conversion apparatus and method for converting character information

A method for processing character information including attribute information indicating a coding system and character codes conforming to the coding system and for converting the character codes into characters to be output, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing information indicating the coding system corresponding to the received input by receiving an input for specifying a coding system to be applied when decoding character codes conforming to a coding system other than a normally applied coding system;
• determining which coding system the character codes of the character information conform to by referring to the attribute information of the character information to be converted;
• and
• converting the character codes into characters based on the information stored in the storage means when the coding system cannot be determined in the determining step or when it is determined in the determining step that the coding system indicated by the attribute information differs from the normally applied coding system.

A character-information conversion apparatus for processing character information including attribute information indicating a coding system and character codes conforming to the coding system and for converting the character codes into characters to be output, the apparatus comprising:

• a receiving unit for receiving an input for specifying a coding system to be applied when decoding character codes conforming to a coding system other than a normally applied coding system;
• a storage unit for storing information indicating the coding system corresponding to the input received via the receiving unit;
• a determining unit for determining which coding system the character codes of the character information conform to by referring to the attribute information of the character information to be converted;
• and
• a conversion unit for converting the character codes into characters based on the information stored in the storage unit when the determining unit is incapable of determining the coding system or when the determining unit determines that the coding system determined by referring to the attribute information differs from the normally applied coding system.