Javascript/PHP byte-order mark problem

var data = <? echo "[...]" ?>;

var data = <BOM>[...];

> Hi,
> I have a PHP file which outputs javascript code. It works well in
> Firefox, but Opera chokes on it.
> The problem is the PHP file contains UTF characters, so when I output
> javascript code with PHP echo, then PHP prepends the output with an
> UTF BOM:
> var data =3D <? echo "[...]" ?>;
> results in
> var data =3D <BOM>[...];
> Opera doesn't like the BOM within javascript code, it indicates a
> syntax error. I cannot save the PHP file as non-UTF, because other
> parts of it have UTF characters.
> Is there a workaround for this? Is there a way to prevent echo from
> outputting a BOM when the page itself is UTF?

> Save the file as UTF-8 WITHOUT BOM? A BOM is not needed for UTF-8, and
> AFAIK PHP doesn't prepend any BOM itself, save for actual content in the
> file (which would offcourse always be before the opening <?php tag, as
> they're the first bytes of a document, and hence will be sent without
> being processed by PHP). Any self respecting editor should be able to save=

> a file in UTF-8 without a BOM. I suspect the javascript code is an
> include/require rather then an echo, am I right? If not, please provide
> the relevent portion of the real code.

?>

=EF=BB=BF<efbbbf>[[[ ....

<efbbbf> is the BOM for UTF8

> The data file doesn't have a BOM either.

>> Save the file as UTF-8 WITHOUT BOM? A BOM is not needed for UTF-8, and
>> AFAIK PHP doesn't prepend any BOM itself, save for actual content in the
>> file (which would offcourse always be before the opening <?php tag, as
>> they're the first bytes of a document, and hence will be sent without
>> being processed by PHP). Any self respecting editor should be able to
>> save
>> a file in UTF-8 without a BOM. I suspect the javascript code is an
>> include/require rather then an echo, am I right? If not, please provide
>> the relevent portion of the real code.
> the php file itself doesn't have a BOM.
> Here's the relevant code:
> var data =
> <?php
> $file = "data";
> if (file_exists($file))
> echo @file_get_contents($file);
> ;
> it results in
> var data =
> <efbbbf>[[[ ....
> ;
> Can file_get_contents be the cuplrit? The data file doesn't have a BOM
> either. It's PHP 5.1.4.