This may happen if Client's NLS_CHARACTER_SET when data inserted doesn't match Client's NLS_CHARACTER_SET when data retrieved. Igor ________________________________ From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Arnold, Sandra Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 3:10 PM To: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Database Character set AL32UTF8 problems I currently have a 9.2.0.7 and two 10.2.0.1 databases that are set to an AL32UTF8 character set. Some of the data that is being inserted into these databases appear as ¿¿¿¿. Is anyone else having this problem? If so, are there any documentation, papers, etc that address this issue? Thanks, Sandra Arnold Sr. Oracle DBA NCI Information Systems US DOE OSTI Oak Ridge, TN