title: how to change log4j log file to utf8
body: <p>I have been handed a code which uses log4j as the logger application. How can I generate a UTF8 logging file for it?. The logfile being created by log4j is in ASCII format at the moment.</p>
  
  <p>I have tried the follow</p>
  
  <p>Setting the file encoding of the log file by following instructions </p>
  
  <pre><code>vi current
  :set bomb
  :set fileencoding=utf-8
  :wq
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Infact after doing the above the logfile itself stops working ie no further logs get written to the file for some strange reason</p>
  
  <p>I have also tried changing the .properties file</p>
  
  <pre><code>log4j.rootLogger=TRACE, logfile
  
  log4j.appender.logfile=org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender
  log4j.appender.logfile.encoding=UTF-8
  log4j.appender.logfile.File=/usr/vm/log/webconsole/current
  log4j.appender.logfile.Append=true
  log4j.appender.logfile.MaxFileSize=5MB
  log4j.appender.logfile.MaxBackupIndex=1
  log4j.appender.logfile.layout=org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
  log4j.appender.logfile.layout.ConversionPattern=[%5p] %d{ISO8601} (%F:%M:%L)%n%m%n%n
  
  log4j.logger.com.company.npm=ALL
  log4j.logger.org.apache.axis=OFF
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The log file after it rolls over is in ASCII format for some reason</p>
  
  <p>I am using log4j 1.2.8</p>
  
  <p>When I enabled log4j debugging I got the following output</p>
  
  <pre><code>@4000000053b16b142afa961c log4j: Parsing for [root] with value=[TRACE, logfile, cdr].
  @4000000053b16b142afc630c log4j: Level token is [TRACE].
  @4000000053b16b142afe85ec log4j: Category root set to DEBUG
  @4000000053b16b142aff510c log4j: Parsing appender named "logfile".
  @4000000053b16b142e3ebccc log4j: Parsing layout options for "logfile".
  @4000000053b16b143333a0bc log4j: Setting property [conversionPattern] to [[%5p] %d{ISO8601} (%F:%M:%L)%n%m%n%n].
  @4000000053b16b1433442f04 log4j: End of parsing for "logfile".
  @4000000053b16b14343015a4 log4j: Setting property [file] to [/usr/vm/log/webconsole/current].
  @4000000053b16b1434331b14 log4j: Setting property [append] to [true].
  @4000000053b16b1434350b2c log4j: Setting property [maxFileSize] to [100KB].
  @4000000053b16b14343885cc log4j: Setting property [maxBackupIndex] to [1].
  @4000000053b16b14343a79cc log4j: Setting property [encoding] to [UTF-8].
  @4000000053b16b14343d311c log4j: setFile called: /usr/vm/log/webconsole/current, true
  @4000000053b16b1434937edc log4j: setFile ended
  @4000000053b16b143496a774 log4j: Parsed "logfile" options.
  @4000000053b16b1434a97fac log4j: Parsing appender named "cdr".
  @4000000053b16b150111c014 log4j: Parsed "cdr" options.
  @4000000053b16b1501166394 log4j: Parsing for [com.company.npm] with value=[ALL].
  @4000000053b16b150118d87c log4j: Level token is [ALL].
  @4000000053b16b15011abcdc log4j: Category com.company.npm set to ALL
  @4000000053b16b150122003c log4j: Handling log4j.additivity.com.company.npm=[null]
  @4000000053b16b150123d4fc log4j: Finished configuring.
  
  
  
  
  @4000000053b16b17086f0114 log4j: rolling over count=102406
  @4000000053b16b1708703d7c log4j: maxBackupIndex=1
  @4000000053b16b170910fdd4 log4j: Renaming file /usr/vm/log/webconsole/current to /usr/vm/log/webconsole/current.1
  @4000000053b16b1709140b14 log4j: setFile called: /usr/vm/log/webconsole/current, false
  @4000000053b16b170916494c log4j: setFile ended
  </code></pre>