TLA API mdc2unicode

Converts a Manuel de Codage (MdC) string into its Unicode representation of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. The service is part of the Thesaurus Linguae Aegyptiae (TLA) public API.

Note: The MdC dialect accepted by this service mostly follows the JSesh conventions. But note:

• Unicode cannot operate on quadrat groups. Therefore, group shading with #1234 cannot be processed. Use sign shading with \shading1234 instead.
• Corner insertion with & cannot be interpreted yet. Free alignment with ** cannot be interpreted for Unicode.

Endpoint

Two equivalent forms are accepted:

api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc={mdc}

api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode/{mdc}

Both return text/plain. The path form (/{mdc}) is intended for simple sign codes only; notably, it cannot technically handle MdC strings that contain / (lost-sign notation).

Escaping

Some MdC characters require URL-encoding when passed as a query parameter:

Parameters

Examples

api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc=E34

→ 𓃺

api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode/E34

→ 𓃺

api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc=E34:N35

→ 𓃺𓈖 (U+130FA U+13216)

api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc=E34:N35&removeAlignmentControls=false

→ 𓃺𓐰𓈖 (U+130FA U+13430 U+13216) [use the font “Egyptian Text” that supports Alignment Controls]

api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc=D21-G17%5Cshading12-K5

→ 𓂋𓅓𓆟 (U+1308B U+13153 U+1319F)

api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc=D21-G17%5Cshading12-K5&removeShadingOverlays=false

→ 𓂋𓅓𓑋𓆟 (U+1308B U+13153 U+1344B U+1319F) [use the font “Egyptian Text” that supports Shading Overlays]

Usage in Excel/Calc

To use the API in MS Excel / Libre Office Calc try the folloing sniplets 

In English app versions 

Example with MdC in cell A1. 

On Windows systems:

=IF(A1=""; "";IFERROR(WEBSERVICE("https://api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc="&URLENCODE(A1));"Error: server unreachable."))

or, on non-Windows systems:

=IF(A1=""; "";
 IFERROR(
   WEBSERVICE("https://api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc="&
     SUBSTITUTE(
     SUBSTITUTE(
     SUBSTITUTE(
     SUBSTITUTE(
     SUBSTITUTE(
     SUBSTITUTE(
     SUBSTITUTE(
     SUBSTITUTE(
       A1;
       "+";"%2B");
       "/";"%2F");
       "&";"%26");
       "#";"%23");
       "\";"%5C");
       "{";"%7B");
       "}";"%7D");
       "^";"%5E")
   );
   "Error: server unreachable."
 )
)

In German app versions

Beispiel mit MdC in Zelle A1.

Auf Windows-Systemen:

=WENN(A1=""; "";WENNFEHLER(WEBDIENST("https://api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc="&URLCODIEREN(A1));"Fehler: Server nicht erreicht."))

oder, auf Nicht-Windows-Systemen:

=WENN(A1=""; "";
 WENNFEHLER(
   WEBDIENST("https://api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode?mdc="&
     WECHSELN(
     WECHSELN(
     WECHSELN(
     WECHSELN(
     WECHSELN(
     WECHSELN(
     WECHSELN(
     WECHSELN(
       A1;
       "+";"%2B");
       "/";"%2F");
       "&";"%26");
       "#";"%23");
       "\";"%5C");
       "{";"%7B");
       "}";"%7D");
       "^";"%5E")
   );
   "Error: Server nicht erreicht."
 )
)

Response

The service returns the converted Unicode string as plain text. 

If the MdC input is invalid or cannot be processed,  the server responds with HTTP Status 400 – Bad Request.

Refer to the API as:

Thesaurus Linguae Aegyptiae, mdc2unicode API, api.thesaurus-linguae-aegyptiae.de/mdc2unicode, implemented by Daniel A. Werning & R. Dominik Blöse, ed. by Tonio Sebastian Richter & Daniel A. Werning on behalf of the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2026-…