# Export to pdf, txt and the utf8-problem

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/export-to-pdf-txt-and-the-utf8-problem/163628>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [March 23, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/export-to-pdf-txt-and-the-utf8-problem/163628 "2009-03-23T11:40:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rudy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@rudy](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rudy)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/export-to-pdf-txt-and-the-utf8-problem/163628/1 "2009-03-23T11:40:33Z")

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Hi,  
can’t seem to figure it out. I have text saved as UTF8 in my MySQL  
database, and it shows up fine in the browser. However, I want to  
export to pdf (pdf;writer) and csv-text. When I do that the accented  
foreign characters do not show up.

I’ve tried to convert them before exporting, but I don’t seem to be  
able to get it right. (Iconv etc. do not seem to convert it.) I’ve  
also looked it up on the forum, but I can’t find the right solution.  
Any suggestion is greatly appreciated.  
Rudy