unicode characters conversion in R
r, unicode
Solution
What you have there looks like plain 7-bit ASCII characters with some attempt at encoding Unicode code-points by wrapping some of them thus: `<U+abcd>`.
This is not a recognised encoding for Unicode, as far as I can tell, partly because how would you put a real `<` in your text? I suppose every `<` could be `<U+jklm>` where `jklm` is the code for an angle bracket... But ick.
So, first, try and get a UTF-8 encoded string from whatever generated this ascii-encoded mess!
However... after some serious hair pulling...
`stringi` to the rescue! Where 'MTST' is your vector of stuff, first convert the angle bracket notation to backslash-u and then use `stri_unescape_unicode`:
> require(stringi)
> greek2=gsub(">","", gsub("<U\\+","\\\\u",MTST))
> stri_unescape_unicode(greek2)
[1] "ΑGΡΙΝΙΟ "
[2] "ΑGΧΙΑΛΟS "
[3] "ΑΙGΙΝΑ "
[4] "ΑΙGΙΟ "
[5] "ΑΙΔΗΨΟS "
[6] "ΑΚΤΙΟ(ΠΡΕΒΕΖΑ) "
all the way up to
[123] "FΥΧΤΙΑ "
[124] "ΧΑΛΚΙΔΑ "
[125] "ΧΑΝΙΑ "
[126] "ΧΙΟS "
[127] "ΧΡΥSΟΥΠΟΛΗ_ΚΑΒΑΛΑ "
[128] "OΡΕΟΙ "
once I fixed the bizarrely missing comma and quote mark in your "dput" data (edited your question for you).
Problem
I have this `MTST` column, which when printed yields ``` [1] "<U+0391>G<U+03A1><U+0399><U+039D><U+0399><U+039F> " [2] "<U+0391>G<U+03A7><U+0399><U+0391><U+039B><U+039F>S " [3] "<U+0391><U+0399>G<U+0399><U+039D><U+0391> " [4] "<U+0391><U+0399>G<U+0399><U+039F> " [5] "<U+0391><U+0399><U+0394><U+0397><U+03A8><U+039F>S " [6] "<U+0391><U+039A><U+03A4><U+0399><U+039F>(<U+03A0><U+03A1><U+0395><U+0392><U+0395><U+0396><U+0391>) " [7] "<U+0391><U+039B><U+0395><U+039E><U+0391><U+039D><U+0394><U+03A1><U+039F><U+03A5><U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+0397> " [8] "<U+0391><U+039B><U+0399><U+0391><U+03A1><U+03A4><U+039F>S " ``` I tried using `Unicode` library and do `MTST<- as.u_char(MTST)` that gives ``` [1] <NA> <NA> <NA> <NA> <NA> <NA> <NA> <NA> ``` I've also tried `dump` and `dput` but nothing changed. Note that `MTST` is initially of type `character`. Appreciate your help. Thanks edit: below `dput(MTST)` is shown ``` c("<U+0391>G<U+03A1><U+0399><U+039D><U+0399><U+039F> ", "<U+0391>G<U+03A7><U+0399><U+0391><U+039B><U+039F>S ", "<U+0391><U+0399>G<U+0399><U+039D><U+0391> ", "<U+0391><U+0399>G<U+0399><U+039F> ", "<U+0391><U+0399><U+0394><U+0397><U+03A8><U+039F>S ", "<U+0391><U+039A><U+03A4><U+0399><U+039F>(<U+03A0><U+03A1><U+0395><U+0392><U+0395><U+0396><U+0391>) ", "<U+0391><U+039B><U+0395><U+039E><U+0391><U+039D><U+0394><U+03A1><U+039F><U+03A5><U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+0397> ", "<U+0391><U+039B><U+0399><U+0391><U+03A1><U+03A4><U+039F>S ", "<U+0391><U+039D><U+0391><U+0392><U+03A1><U+03A5><U+03A4><U+0391> ", "<U+0391><U+039D><U+0394><U+03A1><U+0391><U+0392><U+0399><U+0394><U+0391> ", "<U+0391><U+039D>OG<U+0395><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+0391><U+03A1><U+0391><U+039E><U+039F>S ", "<U+0391><U+03A1><U+0391><U+03A7>O<U+0392><U+0391> ", "<U+0391><U+03A1>G<U+039F>S(<U+03A0><U+03A5><U+03A1>G<U+0395><U+039B><U+0391>) ", "<U+0391><U+03A1>G<U+039F>S<U+03A4><U+039F><U+039B><U+0399> ", "<U+0391><U+03A1><U+03A4><U+0391> (<U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+0397>) ", "<U+0391><U+03A1><U+03A4><U+0391> (F<U+0399><U+039B><U+039F>T<U+0395><U+0397>) ", "<U+0391>S<U+03A4><U+0395><U+03A1><U+039F>S<U+039A><U+039F><U+03A0><U+0395><U+0399><U+039F> ", "<U+0391>S<U+03A4><U+03A1><U+039F>S ", "<U+0391>S<U+03A4><U+03A5><U+03A0><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+0392><U+0391><U+039C><U+039F>S ", "<U+0392><U+0395><U+039B><U+039F> (<U+039A><U+039F><U+03A1><U+0399><U+039D>T<U+0399><U+0391>S) ", "<U+0392><U+039F><U+039B><U+039F>S ", "<U+0392><U+03A5><U+03A4><U+0399><U+039D><U+0391> ", "G<U+039F><U+03A1><U+03A4><U+03A5>S ", "G<U+03A5>T<U+0395><U+0399><U+039F> ", "<U+0394><U+0395>SF<U+0399><U+039D><U+0391> ", "<U+0394><U+0399><U+0391><U+0392><U+039F><U+039B><U+0399><U+03A4>S<U+0399> ", "<U+0394><U+039F><U+039C><U+039F><U+039A><U+039F>S ", "<U+0394><U+03A1><U+0391><U+039C><U+0391> ", "<U+0395><U+0394><U+0395>SS<U+0391> ", "<U+0395><U+039B><U+0395><U+03A5>S<U+0399><U+039D><U+0391> ", "<U+0395><U+039B><U+039B><U+0397><U+039D><U+0399><U+039A><U+039F> ae<U+03C1> ", "<U+0396><U+0391><U+039A><U+03A5><U+039D>T<U+039F>S ", "<U+0396><U+0391><U+039A><U+03A5><U+039D>T<U+039F>S_<U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+0397> ", "<U+0396><U+0391><U+03A1><U+039F>S ", "<U+0397><U+03A1><U+0391><U+039A><U+039B><U+0395><U+0399><U+039F> ", "T<U+0391>S<U+039F>S ", "T<U+0397><U+03A1><U+0391> (S<U+0391><U+039D><U+03A4><U+039F><U+03A1><U+0399><U+039D><U+0397>", "<U+0399><U+0395><U+03A1><U+0391><U+03A0><U+0395><U+03A4><U+03A1><U+0391> ", "<U+0399><U+039A><U+0391><U+03A1><U+0399><U+0391>_<U+0391>/<U+0394> ", "<U+0399>O<U+0391><U+039D><U+039D><U+0399><U+039D><U+0391> ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+0392><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391> (<U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+0397>) ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+0392><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391>(<U+0391><U+039C><U+03A5>G<U+0394><U+0391><U+039B><U+0395>O<U+039D><U+0391>S) ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391><U+0392><U+03A1><U+03A5><U+03A4><U+0391> ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391><U+039C><U+0391><U+03A4><U+0391> ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391><U+039C><U+03A0><U+0391><U+039A><U+0391> ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+03A1><U+0394><U+0399><U+03A4>S<U+0391> ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+03A1><U+03A0><U+0391>T<U+039F>S_<U+0391>/<U+0394> ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+03A1><U+03A0><U+0391>T<U+039F>S_<U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+0397> ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+03A1><U+03A0><U+0395><U+039D><U+0397>S<U+0399> ", "<U+039A><U+0391><U+03A1><U+03A5>S<U+03A4><U+039F>S ", "<U+039A><U+0391>S<U+039F>S ", "<U+039A><U+0391>S<U+03A4><U+0395><U+039B><U+039B><U+0399> ", "<U+039A><U+0391>S<U+03A4><U+039F><U+03A1><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+039A><U+0395><U+03A1><U+039A><U+03A5><U+03A1><U+0391> ", "<U+039A><U+039F><U+0396><U+0391><U+039D><U+0397> ", "<U+039A><U+039F><U+039C><U+039F><U+03A4><U+0397><U+039D><U+0397> ", "<U+039A><U+039F><U+039D><U+0399><U+03A4>S<U+0391> ", "<U+039A><U+039F><U+03A1><U+0399><U+039D>T<U+039F>S ", "<U+039A><U+03A5>T<U+0397><U+03A1><U+0391>_<U+0391>/<U+0394> ", "<U+039A><U+03A5><U+039C><U+0397> ", "<U+039A>OS ", "<U+039A>OS_<U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+0397> ", "<U+039B><U+0391><U+039C><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+039B><U+0391><U+03A1><U+0399>S<U+0391> ", "<U+039B><U+0395><U+03A1><U+039F>S ", "<U+039B><U+0395><U+03A5><U+039A><U+0391><U+0394><U+0391> (<U+039D><U+0397>S<U+0399>) ", "<U+039B><U+0395>O<U+039D><U+0399><U+0394><U+0399><U+039F> ", "<U+039B><U+0397><U+039C><U+039D><U+039F>S ", "<U+039B><U+0399><U+0394>O<U+03A1><U+0399><U+039A><U+0399> ", "<U+039C><U+0391><U+039A><U+0395><U+0394><U+039F><U+039D><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+039C><U+0391><U+03A1><U+0391>TO<U+039D><U+0391>S ", "<U+039C><U+0395>TO<U+039D><U+0397> ", "<U+039C><U+0395>S<U+039F><U+039B><U+039F>GG<U+0399> ", "<U+039C><U+0397><U+039B><U+039F>S_<U+0391><U+039C>S ", "<U+039C><U+03A5><U+039A><U+039F><U+039D><U+039F>S ", "<U+039C><U+03A5><U+03A4><U+0399><U+039B><U+0397><U+039D><U+0397> ", "<U+039D><U+0391><U+039E><U+039F>S ", "<U+039D><U+0391><U+03A5><U+03A0><U+0391><U+039A><U+03A4><U+039F>S ", "<U+039D><U+0391><U+03A5><U+03A0><U+039B><U+0399><U+039F> ", "<U+039D><U+0395><U+0391> F<U+0399><U+039B><U+0391><U+0394><U+0395><U+039B>F<U+0395><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+039E><U+0391><U+039D>T<U+0397> ", "<U+039F><U+03A1><U+0395>S<U+03A4><U+0399><U+0391><U+0394><U+0391> ", "<U+03A0><U+0391><U+0399><U+0391><U+039D><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+03A0><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391><U+0399><U+039F><U+03A7>O<U+03A1><U+0391> ", "<U+03A0><U+0391><U+03A1><U+039F>S_<U+0391>/<U+0394> ", "<U+03A0><U+0391><U+03A4><U+03A1><U+0391> ", "<U+03A0><U+0395><U+0399><U+03A1><U+0391><U+0399><U+0391>S ", "<U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+03A5>G<U+03A5><U+03A1><U+039F>S ", "<U+03A0><U+039F><U+03A4><U+0399><U+0394><U+0391><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+03A0><U+03A4><U+039F><U+039B><U+0395><U+039C><U+0391><U+0399><U+0394><U+0391> ", "<U+03A0><U+03A5><U+03A1>G<U+039F>S ", "<U+03A1><U+0391>F<U+0397><U+039D><U+0391> ", "<U+03A1><U+0395>T<U+03A5><U+039C><U+039D><U+039F> ", "<U+03A1><U+039F><U+0394><U+039F>S ", "S<U+0391><U+039C><U+039F>S ", "S<U+0395><U+0394><U+0395>S ", "S<U+0395><U+03A1><U+03A1><U+0395>S ", "S<U+0397><U+03A4><U+0395><U+0399><U+0391> ", "S<U+039A><U+0399><U+0391>T<U+039F>S ", "S<U+039A><U+039F><U+03A4><U+0399><U+039D><U+0391> ", "S<U+039A><U+03A5><U+03A1><U+039F>S ", "S<U+039F><U+03A5><U+0394><U+0391> ", "S<U+039F><U+03A5>F<U+039B><U+0399> ", "S<U+03A0><U+0391><U+03A1><U+03A4><U+0397> ", "S<U+03A0><U+0391><U+03A4><U+0391>(<U+0392><U+0395><U+039D><U+0399><U+0396><U+0395><U+039B><U+039F>S) ", "S<U+03A0><U+0395><U+03A4>S<U+0395>S ", "S<U+03A4><U+0395>F<U+0391><U+039D><U+0399> (<U+039A><U+039F><U+03A1><U+0399><U+039D>T<U+0399><U+0391>S) ", "S<U+03A5><U+039A><U+03A5>O<U+039D><U+0391> ", "S<U+03A5><U+03A1><U+039F>S_<U+0391>/<U+0394> ", "<U+03A4><U+0391><U+039D><U+0391>G<U+03A1><U+0391> ", "<U+03A4><U+0391><U+03A4><U+039F><U+0399> (<U+0394><U+0395><U+039A><U+0395><U+039B><U+0395><U+0399><U+0391>) ", "<U+03A4><U+0396><U+0395><U+03A1><U+039C><U+0399><U+0391><U+0394><U+0395>S ", "<U+03A4><U+03A1><U+0399><U+039A><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391> <U+0397><U+039C><U+0391>T<U+0395><U+0399><U+0391>S ", "<U+03A4><U+03A1><U+0399><U+039A><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391> T<U+0395>SS<U+0391><U+039B><U+0399><U+0391>S ", "<U+03A4><U+03A1><U+0399><U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+0397> ", "<U+03A4><U+03A5><U+039C><U+03A0><U+0391><U+039A><U+0399> ", "<U+03A4><U+03A5><U+03A1><U+0399><U+039D>T<U+0391> ", "F<U+0391><U+03A1>S<U+0391><U+039B><U+0391> ", "F<U+039B>O<U+03A1><U+0399><U+039D><U+0391> ", "F<U+039F><U+03A5><U+03A1><U+039D><U+0397> ", "F<U+03A5><U+03A7><U+03A4><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+03A7><U+0391><U+039B><U+039A><U+0399><U+0394><U+0391> ", "<U+03A7><U+0391><U+039D><U+0399><U+0391> ", "<U+03A7><U+0399><U+039F>S ", "<U+03A7><U+03A1><U+03A5>S<U+039F><U+03A5><U+03A0><U+039F><U+039B><U+0397>_<U+039A><U+0391><U+0392><U+0391><U+039B><U+0391> ", "O<U+03A1><U+0395><U+039F><U+0399> " ) ```