--- ECHO_content/ECHO_helpers.py	2007/07/19 11:02:28	1.83
+++ ECHO_content/ECHO_helpers.py	2007/09/11 11:09:56	1.86
@@ -35,6 +35,29 @@ def encodeRPC(string):
 def decodeRPC(string):
     return bz2.decompress(base64.decodestring(string))
 
+def unicodify(s):
+    """decode str (utf-8 or latin-1 representation) into unicode object"""
+    if not s:
+        return u""
+    if isinstance(s, str):
+        try:
+            return s.decode('utf-8')
+        except:
+            return s.decode('latin-1')
+    else:
+        return s
+
+def utf8ify(s):
+    """encode unicode object or string into byte string in utf-8 representation.
+       assumes string objects to be utf-8"""
+    if not s:
+        return ""
+    if isinstance(s, str):
+        return s
+    else:
+        return s.encode('utf-8')
+
+
 def content_html(self,type):
         """template fuer content"""
         #templates = self.ZopeFind(self.aq_parent,obj_ids=[type+"_template"])
@@ -61,6 +84,20 @@ class ECHO_basis:
     management_page_charset="utf-8"
     isVisible = True
     
+
+    def unicodify(self, s):
+        """return unicode object for string (utf-8 or latin1) or unicode object s"""
+        return unicodify(s)
+    
+    # compatibility of old decode method
+    decode = unicodify
+
+
+    def utf8ify(self, s):
+        """return utf-8 encoded string object for string or unicode object s"""
+        return utf8ify(s)
+
+    
     def manage_addECHO_locale(self,lang,title,label,text=None,content_type=None,RESPONSE=None):
             return ECHO_collection.manage_addECHO_locale(self,lang,title,label)