# Parse / write XML without changing character encoding

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/parse-write-xml-without-changing-character-encoding/117696>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [October 19, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/parse-write-xml-without-changing-character-encoding/117696 "2007-10-19T14:21:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![helzer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/e19b73/32.png) [@helzer](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/helzer)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/parse-write-xml-without-changing-character-encoding/117696/1 "2007-10-19T14:21:19Z")

</div>

I need to change some things inside an XML document, so I’m reading it  
with REXML, changing the attributes I need and writing back.

In the process I see that the character encoding changes all over.

1. UTF-8 encoded characters get decoded.
2. HTML escape are un-escaped (like & becoming &, \> becoming  
\<).

Is there a way to tell REXML not to do this? Just leave everything  
inside the texts as it was?

Thanks,  
Helzer