# Parse / write XML without changing character encoding

**URL:** <https://rubytalk.org/t/parse-write-xml-without-changing-character-encoding/41490>\
**Category:** ruby-talk\
**Created:** [19 October 2007 12:20 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/parse-write-xml-without-changing-character-encoding/41490 "2007-10-19T12:20:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![helzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19b73/32.png) [@helzer](https://rubytalk.org/u/helzer)\
**Post date:** [19 October 2007 12:20 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/parse-write-xml-without-changing-character-encoding/41490/1 "2007-10-19T12:20:16Z")

</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 &amp; becoming &, &gt; becoming  
\<).

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

Thanks,  
Helzer