diff --git a/helpers/Encoding.php b/helpers/Encoding.php
--- a/helpers/Encoding.php
+++ b/helpers/Encoding.php
@@ -184,11 +184,11 @@
       $max = strlen($text);
       $buf = "";
       for($i = 0; $i < $max; $i++){
-          $c1 = $text{$i};
+          $c1 = $text[$i];
           if($c1>="\xc0"){ //Should be converted to UTF8, if it's not UTF8 already
-            $c2 = $i+1 >= $max? "\x00" : $text{$i+1};
-            $c3 = $i+2 >= $max? "\x00" : $text{$i+2};
-            $c4 = $i+3 >= $max? "\x00" : $text{$i+3};
+            $c2 = $i+1 >= $max? "\x00" : $text[$i+1];
+            $c3 = $i+2 >= $max? "\x00" : $text[$i+2];
+            $c4 = $i+3 >= $max? "\x00" : $text[$i+3];
               if($c1 >= "\xc0" & $c1 <= "\xdf"){ //looks like 2 bytes UTF8
                   if($c2 >= "\x80" && $c2 <= "\xbf"){ //yeah, almost sure it's UTF8 already
                       $buf .= $c1 . $c2;