HTML: HTML Character Encoding in Page or at Server Level?

[justravis]

What is the best way to declare character encoding - in page or at server level?

 

If at the server level, do I include 'text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1' as an apache handler or mime type?

 

Furthermore, if I attached them to php files, wouldn't it see the code as text instead of rendering the php?

 

Thank You.

[haku]

Use both. It's best to declare it at the server level to let the browser know what is coming, but browsers also expect the meta tag, so you want it in there as well.

 

Declaring it in the header with text/html will not cause the browser to output php to the browser as text. The header is sent by the server, attached to the HTML that the php script has outputted. By this point, there is no php in the content - the php has already been processed. All that is left is the content, which is why you are declaring the content type.

[justravis]

Haku,

U always have the answer.

 

Although I'm still fuzzy on 1 point.  In addition to putting it on each page, should I make it an apache handler AND mime type?

 

Thanks.

[Mchl]

Use header. Should be enough.

[haku]

I agree.