--- a/src/org/tmatesoft/hg/internal/EncodingHelper.java	Fri Jan 11 18:10:29 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/org/tmatesoft/hg/internal/EncodingHelper.java	Fri Jan 11 18:12:39 2013 +0100
@@ -65,8 +65,36 @@
 			// perhaps, can return byte[0] in this case?
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException();
 		}
+		return encodeWithSystemDefaultFallback(s);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Translate file names from dirstate to amazing Unicode string 
+	 */
+	public String fromDirstate(byte[] data, int start, int length) {
+		return decodeWithSystemDefaultFallback(data, start, length);
+	}
+	
+	public byte[] toDirstate(String fname) {
+		if (fname == null) {
+			throw new IllegalArgumentException();
+		}
+		return encodeWithSystemDefaultFallback(fname);
+	}
+
+	private String decodeWithSystemDefaultFallback(byte[] data, int start, int length) {
 		try {
-			// synchonized(encoder) {
+			return decoder.decode(ByteBuffer.wrap(data, start, length)).toString();
+		} catch (CharacterCodingException ex) {
+			sessionContext.getLog().dump(getClass(), Error, ex, String.format("Use of charset %s failed, resort to system default", charset().name()));
+			// resort to system-default
+			return new String(data, start, length);
+		}
+	}
+	
+	private byte[] encodeWithSystemDefaultFallback(String s) {
+		try {
+			// synchronized(encoder) {
 			ByteBuffer bb = encoder.encode(CharBuffer.wrap(s));
 			// }
 			byte[] rv = new byte[bb.remaining()];
@@ -79,23 +107,6 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Translate file names from dirstate to amazing Unicode string 
-	 */
-	public String fromDirstate(byte[] data, int start, int length) {
-		return decodeWithSystemDefaultFallback(data, start, length);
-	}
-
-	private String decodeWithSystemDefaultFallback(byte[] data, int start, int length) {
-		try {
-			return decoder.decode(ByteBuffer.wrap(data, start, length)).toString();
-		} catch (CharacterCodingException ex) {
-			sessionContext.getLog().dump(getClass(), Error, ex, String.format("Use of charset %s failed, resort to system default", charset().name()));
-			// resort to system-default
-			return new String(data, start, length);
-		}
-	}
-
 	private Charset charset() {
 		return encoder.charset();
 	}