How to show letters like ë, ü and ï in the Visual Layout Tool and Email Output Tool

[RK3]

Hi!

I am making a layout by using the Visual Layout Tool, whereby the inputs are multiple tables and reports texts. In the Visual Layout tool, letters like ë, ü and ï can't be shown in a normal way, for example it changes into this: Ã«. 

If I save the layout via the Render Tool into a Pdf, the letters are shown normally. If I want to output the Visual Layout directly in an email via the Email tool, this is not the case. 

Does somebody know the solution to this problem to show the letters normally in the Email?

I tried to insert a formula with "CoverttoCodePage" between the report tools and the visual layout tool, but unfortunately this does not yet work for me. 

Tips are welcome! 

[CharlieS]

Just in case you're not aware, German orthography allows these diacritic characters to be transcribed with a -e 

"When it is not possible to use the umlauts (for example, when using a restricted character set) the characters Ä, Ö, Ü, ä, ö, ü should be transcribed as Ae, Oe, Ue, ae, oe, ue respectively, following the earlier postvocalic-e convention; simply using the base vowel (e.g. u instead of ü) would be wrong and misleading."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_orthography

So in a Formula tool, you could use:

Replace([Field],"ü","ue")

[RK3]

Hi CharlieS, 

Thank you for your reply - I am writing stuff in Dutch, where in our language it is not standard to write for example: "cliënten" (clients) as "clieenten", So In this case I would still like to make the characters like ë, and not ee. 

No other tips to solve this?

[CharlieS]

I tried to replicate this, but I don't have the ability to test the email tool. It was odd that the character rendered correctly in both PDF and PCXML (the Alteryx layout format). The only other thing that comes to mind is that I remember PCXML uses html elements within it, so maybe the html replacements for these characters will work. 

Try using these html character replacements and see if that works.   
ß = ß
ä = ä
ö = ö
ü = ü
Ä = Ä
Ö = Ö
Ü = Ü

[RK3]

Thank you for your reply, unfortunately it does not work. 

Indeed in the report text tool, the browse of the visual layout tool and the pdf the ë characters does show. But in the visual layout tool and the Email still not.. 

[CharlieS]

Well that's all the ideas I have at this time. Unless someone else chimes in here, I suggest emailing Alteryx Support (support@alteryx.com). This will make sure we didn't miss anything, and it opens a ticket so they have an official record for potential future development. 

[DavidxL]

I also can't test the email tool, but maybe this thread will help: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Discussions/Visual-layout-not-supporting-scandinav...

[CharlieS · Accepted solution]

That's an extremely relevant post. Nice find, @DavidxL!

So it seems like the solution it to replace them in the Layout field after the Visual Layout tool. Since this is a back-end fix and what needs to be replaced might change, I suggest using a Text Input with each character and replacement and a Find Replace tool to edit the Layout from the Visual Layout tool.

[RK3]

Thanks @DavidxL and @CharlieS! 

The combination with the Find and replace tool after the Layout tool worked perfectly!