Convert Unicode Error Log to ASCII

  • All of the ErrorLog files on our SQL Server 2005 instances are unicode files. I was looking for a way to convert the unicode Errorlog file to an ASCII file. I found information online indicating that the option Write OEM file in the General properties of the SQL Server Agent will do this, yet when I go to that screen the option is grayed out.

    Does anyone know if there is some way to enable this setting? We only deal with ASCII character sets so there is no need for any unicode files at our company.

    We are running SQL Server 2005 Standard SP2. No cumulative update packages have been applied. I looked through the fix lists for the cumulative update packages but I did not see any information regarding this setting.

    Thank you in advance

    - John

  • The TYPE command will convert unicode to ASCII. i.e (from a batch job).

    TYPE \\SQLSRVR1\E$\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\LOG\ERRORLOG > \\SQLSRVR1\C$\ERRORLOG\ErrorLog.txt

    Dan

  • Cool. Do not copy to the original log name.

    What are you doing with the log?

    Regards,Yelena Varsha

  • Over 60 SQL server error logs are read by a VB script every 30 minutes which notifies SQL DBAs of any errors found.

    Dan

  • That's great dlcook, thanks!

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