How can I change a file's encoding with vim?

I'm used to using vim to modify a file's line endings:

$ file file
file: ASCII text, with CRLF line terminators
$ vim file
:set ff=mac
:wq
$ file file
file: ASCII text, with CR line terminators

Is it possible to use a similar process to change a file's unicode encoding? I'm trying the following, which doesn't work:

$ file file.xml
file.xml: Unicode text, UTF-16, little-endian
$ vim file
:set encoding=utf-8
:wq
$ file file.xml
file.xml: Unicode text, UTF-16, little-endian

I saw someone say that he could "set fileencoding=utf-8, then update and write the file, and it works," but I seem to be missing something, or else he was confused. I don't know what he meant by "then update."

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From the doc:

:write ++enc=utf-8 russian.txt

So you should be able to change the encoding as part of the write command.

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While using vim to do it is perfectly possible, why don't you simply use iconv? I mean - loading text editor just to do encoding conversion seems like using too big hammer for too small nail.

Just:

iconv -f utf-16 -t utf-8 file.xml > file.utf8.xml







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Just like your steps, setting fileencoding should work. However, I'd like to add one "set bomb" to help editor consider the file as UTF8.

$ vim file
:set bomb
:set fileencoding=utf-8
:wq




reference 

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/778069/how-can-i-change-a-files-encoding-with-vim