# Default encoding UTF 8?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-encoding-utf-8/189106>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [May 24, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-encoding-utf-8/189106 "2010-05-24T18:10:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-encoding-utf-8/189106/1 "2010-05-24T18:10:16Z")

</div>

Is this expected?

> > File.read(‘picture.jpg’).encoding  
> > =\> #Encoding:UTF-8
> 
> > Encoding.default\_external  
> > =\> #Encoding:UTF-8

Shouldn’t default\_external be “ASCII-8BIT”? Who is setting my  
default\_external?

Sorry a but confused.  
Thanks!  
-rp

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-encoding-utf-8/189106/2 "2010-05-25T05:51:38Z")

</div>

Roger P. wrote:

> Is this expected?
> 
> > > File.read(‘picture.jpg’).encoding  
> > > =\> #Encoding:UTF-8
> > 
> > > Encoding.default\_external  
> > > =\> #Encoding:UTF-8
> 
> Shouldn’t default\_external be “ASCII-8BIT”? Who is setting my  
> default\_external?
> 
> Sorry a but confused.  
> Thanks!  
> -rp

"The default external encoding is something different: this is the  
encoding that Ruby uses by default when reading from files and streams.  
The default external encoding is global to the Ruby process and does not  
change from file to file. Normally, the default external encoding is set  
based on the locale that your computer is configured to. " - From “the  
ruby programming language” book

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rogerdpack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rogerdpack)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 12:31pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/default-encoding-utf-8/189106/3 "2010-05-25T12:31:07Z")

</div>

Hi,

In message “Re: default encoding UTF 8?”  
on Tue, 25 May 2010 01:10:19 +0900, Roger P.  
[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) writes:

|Is this expected?  
|  
|\>\> File.read(‘picture.jpg’).encoding  
|=\> #Encoding:UTF-8  
|\>\> Encoding.default\_external  
|=\> #Encoding:UTF-8

Yes.

|Shouldn’t default\_external be “ASCII-8BIT”? Who is setting my  
|default\_external?

It’s set according to your locale setting.

```
          matz.

```