# Using alt key code in logstash **URL:** \ **Category:** Logstash\ **Created:** [August 15, 2020, 11:26am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094 "2020-08-15T11:26:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sahere37](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@sahere37](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/sahere37)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 11:26am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094/1 "2020-08-15T11:26:53Z")
Hi all, i am using logstash to write some data into txt file so that my output configuration of logstash is as following: ``` output { csv { fields => ["My_Data"] path => "D:\app_%{year}_%{mounth}_%{day}.txt" } stdout { codec => rubydebug } } ``` it is note that "My\_Data" is as following which is based on the some other data: ``` mutate { add_field => { "My_Data" => "%{Com}-%{Ser}-%{year}-%{mounth}-%{day}-%{count}" } } ``` I am using "-" (dash) in order to separate the items. But, our customer tells us that the separator should be "alt0173" which leads to "-". How can i use "alt0173" instead of direct "-" in my script so that convert to dash in output txt? Any advise will be so appreciated. Regards ---
**Author:** ![sahere37](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@sahere37](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/sahere37)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094/2 "2020-08-15T12:53:53Z")
sorry. i think it has been solved just by using alt0173 in script ---
**Author:** ![cknz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/cknz/32/9640_2.png) [@cknz](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/cknz)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094/3 "2020-08-17T00:37:20Z")
For reference, in Unicode, this would be U+00AD, although I doubt that the input would be in any Unicode encoding. You're likely going to want to set the [charset](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/logstash/current/plugins-codecs-csv.html#plugins-codecs-csv-charset) in your csv input to match your input file. Eg: ``` input{ file{ ... codec => csv{ charset=>"Windows-1250" } } } ``` Unfortunately Logstash (still) doesn't have a mechanism for expressing Unicode escape sequences in its configuration, but the configuration file is meant to be UTF-8, so you can (as you've experienced) put literal Unicode characters into it. ---
**Author:** ![sahere37](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@sahere37](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/sahere37)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 7:37am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094/4 "2020-08-18T07:37:32Z")
Many thanks for your reply, I used ­alt0173 in csv output fields and when open the output on my PC with Notepad++ it works fine and can find alt0173 (-). But when i open this file on another PC, it cannot find alt0173. Any advise will be so appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![sahere37](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@sahere37](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/sahere37)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 7:56am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094/5 "2020-08-18T07:56:04Z")
I checked out put in Notepad++ using Encode in ANSI which is as following: O1ÂO2­2020­06­23­O3­4­0 where there is  instead of "-" (alt0173) ---
**Author:** ![sahere37](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@sahere37](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/sahere37)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 8:32am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094/6 "2020-08-18T08:32:35Z")
when i check my config file in notepad++ using Encoding in ANSI , Â exists in output filed: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/d/f/df551c87b1d5f03c2377f43efe65035d636daa22.png) when i delete Â, starting logstash face with following error: ``` `> [ERROR][logstash.agent] An exception happened when converging configuration {:exception=>RuntimeError, :message=>"Could not fetch the configuration, message: The following config files contains non-ascii characters but are not UTF-8 encoded [\"F:/ELK_Windows/logstash-6.6.0/logstash-6.6.0/bin/OB13.conf\"]", :backtrace=>["F:/ELK_Windows/logstash-6.6.0/logstash-6.6.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/agent.rb:157:in `converge_state_and_update'", "F:/ELK_Windows/logstash-6.6.0/logstash-6.6.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/agent.rb:101:in `execute'", "F:/ELK_Windows/logstash-6.6.0/logstash-6.6.0/logstash-core/lib/logstash/runner.rb:362:in `block in execute'", "F:/ELK_Windows/logstash-6.6.0/logstash-6.6.0/vendor/bundle/jruby/2.3.0/gems/stud-0.0.23/lib/stud/task.rb:24:in `block in initialize'"]}` ``` ---
**Author:** ![cknz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/cknz/32/9640_2.png) [@cknz](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/cknz)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 11:16am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094/7 "2020-08-19T11:16:16Z")
That's to be expected; the configuration file is expected to be in UTF-8. Nothing else will do. Logstash can process other encodings, but its configuration file must be UTF-8. On Windows, you can use the Character Map application (if you can't type the character yourself). You'll want a Unicode font, such as Arial, tick the Advanced box, and in the 'Go to Unicode' box, enter 00AD. You'll find two things: - Unicode calls this character 'Soft Hyphen' - It also shows the Windows Alt-Keypad keystroke sequence (Alt+0173) You can click on the Select the character for the 'Characters to copy' if you want to just copy it into your logstash configuration. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/b/2/b26edce54f1b1ee69c3af2d9ed235517e761f257.png) Hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![sahere37](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@sahere37](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/sahere37)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 7:52am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094/8 "2020-08-20T07:52:00Z")
Many thanks for your reply. I type alt0173 for output field in the logstash config as fields separator, but the problem is in the output txt. txt file separator has been shown as "Â-" instead of "-". my config file is creating a txt file daily which includes some data separated using alt0173. customer is using ANSI encoding and they are seeing output separator as "Â-" instead of "-". how can i handle this issue so that output txt file separator automatically shows alt0173 (-) instead of (Â-). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2020, 7:52am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-alt-key-code-in-logstash/245094/9 "2020-09-17T07:52:05Z")
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