# Encoding in windows (newby question) **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [November 16, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/encoding-in-windows-newby-question/76251 "2006-11-16T23:34:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Alfonso)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/encoding-in-windows-newby-question/76251/1 "2006-11-16T23:34:11Z")
When I write my scripts in Linux, there is no problem with the special characters, but on windows, the special characters of my language are not properly set (spanish). Example puts “español”. I suppose for some reason ruby detects the correct charset in linux but not in windows. Could anyone say what is the reason for that, and the procedure to solve it? Thanks in advance. * * * LLama Gratis a cualquier PC del Mundo. Llamadas a fijos y móviles desde 1 céntimo por minuto. [http://es.voice.yahoo.com](http://es.voice.yahoo.com) ---
**Author:** ![Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Alfonso)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 12:22am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/encoding-in-windows-newby-question/76251/2 "2006-11-17T00:22:26Z")
Alfonso wrote: > When I write my scripts in Linux, there is no problem with the special > characters, but on windows, the special characters of my language are > not properly set (spanish). Define “not properly set.” Leave nothing to the imagination. What did you expect, and what did you get, under what circumstances? > Example puts “español”. I suppose for some > reason ruby detects the correct charset in linux but not in windows. > Could anyone say what is the reason for that, and the procedure to solve > it? The answer depends on where this happened, using what output device or editor, etc, etc… ---
**Author:** ![Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Alfonso)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 1:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/encoding-in-windows-newby-question/76251/3 "2006-11-17T01:06:37Z")
Paul L. escribió: > > Example puts “español”. I suppose for some > > reason ruby detects the correct charset in linux but not in windows. > > Could anyone say what is the reason for that, and the procedure to solve > > it? > > The answer depends on where this happened, using what output device or > editor, etc, etc… I have tried this in two different computers with windows xp spanish version installed. If I use the interactive console and write, for example this line: puts “ñ ó á é í” then after presing enter, the result will be this: ñ ó á é í Now, if I write the same with a text editor (I use vim, but have tried also with notepad), this is the result: ± ¾ ß Ú Ý As opposite, in linux, the result is allways ñ ó á é í. * * * LLama Gratis a cualquier PC del Mundo. Llamadas a fijos y móviles desde 1 céntimo por minuto. [http://es.voice.yahoo.com](http://es.voice.yahoo.com) ---
**Author:** ![Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Alfonso)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/encoding-in-windows-newby-question/76251/4 "2006-11-17T01:20:39Z")
Alfonso wrote: / … > Now, if I write the same with a text editor (I use vim, but have tried > also with notepad), this is the result: ± ¾ ß Ú Ý You need to obtain a font that is appropriate to the language you are using. I want to emphasize that the characters in the file are very likely to be correct, but their representation on the display is the only problem, and that is a font issue. In Windows, you have the option of changing locales, or installing an appropriate font, or both. Specifically with regard to either Notepad or VIM, see if you have the option of changing the editing font. > As opposite, in linux, the result is allways ñ ó á é í. Linux is typically (but not always) more aware of locale issues. An example is the fact that I am getting the correct accented character representations here on Fedora 5’s newsreader, and I doubt that I would on a recent Windows version. But again, it’s very likely that the characters are correct, only their display is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Alfonso)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 1:34am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/encoding-in-windows-newby-question/76251/5 "2006-11-17T01:34:41Z")
Paul L. escribió: > > version installed. If I use the interactive console and write, for > > You need to obtain a font that is appropriate to the language you are using. > > Linux is typically (but not always) more aware of locale issues. An example > is the fact that I am getting the correct accented character > representations here on Fedora 5’s newsreader, and I doubt that I would on > a recent Windows version. > > But again, it’s very likely that the characters are correct, only their > display is wrong. Sorry, I didn’t expressed me correctly. When I said that if I type ñ ó á é í in the editor I have this result ± ¾ ß Ú Ý. I didn’t mean that I couldn’t see ñ ó á é í in the edited file. They appear just so: ñ ó á é í. The problem is after executing the program (“ruby myprogram.rb”). Then the result in the console will be this: ± ¾ ß Ú Ý. But the saved file has no problem with representation… * * * LLama Gratis a cualquier PC del Mundo. Llamadas a fijos y móviles desde 1 céntimo por minuto. [http://es.voice.yahoo.com](http://es.voice.yahoo.com) ---
**Author:** ![Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Alfonso)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 6:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/encoding-in-windows-newby-question/76251/6 "2006-11-17T06:27:09Z")
Alfonso wrote: / … > Sorry, I didn’t expressed me correctly. When I said that if I type ñ ó á > é í in the editor I have this result > > ± ¾ ß Ú Ý. I didn’t mean that I couldn’t see ñ ó á é í in the edited > file. They appear just so: ñ ó á é í. The problem is after executing the > program (“ruby myprogram.rb”). Then the result in the console will be > this: ± ¾ ß Ú Ý. But the saved file has no problem with representation… Then the problem is most likely the console font. Same remedy – change fonts. Nearly all these sorts of problems are caused by using the wrong font. But if you want to distinguish between font issues and others, capture the output of your program and load it into your editor, to confirm that the characters appear correctly there. ---
**Author:** ![Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Alfonso)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:21am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/encoding-in-windows-newby-question/76251/7 "2006-11-17T09:21:23Z")
Alfonso schrieb: > Sorry, I didn’t expressed me correctly. When I said that if I type ñ ó á > é í in the editor I have this result > > ± ¾ ß Ú Ý. I didn’t mean that I couldn’t see ñ ó á é í in the > edited file. They appear just so: ñ ó á é í. The problem is after > executing the program (“ruby myprogram.rb”). Then the result in the > console will be this: ± ¾ ß Ú Ý. But the saved file has no problem with > representation… Alfonso, this isn’t a problem of Ruby, but a problem of the Windows console. To verify, open Notepad and enter your letters, then save the file. In the console, do a “type myfile.txt” (replace with the actual filename). You’ll see the same weird characters. The reason is that the Windows console uses a special character encoding. If you want to convert the output of your Ruby programs to the character encoding of the Windows console, look at [http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/225185](http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/225185) Regards, Pit ---
**Author:** ![Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Alfonso](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Alfonso)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:49am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/encoding-in-windows-newby-question/76251/8 "2006-11-17T09:49:30Z")
Pit C. escribió: > Alfonso, this isn’t a problem of Ruby, but a problem of the Windows > Regards, > Pit That’s it. It works now, using iconv. Thank you, Pit and Paul for your answers. * * * LLama Gratis a cualquier PC del Mundo. Llamadas a fijos y móviles desde 1 céntimo por minuto. [http://es.voice.yahoo.com](http://es.voice.yahoo.com)