<p>I am using WinCVS as client and CVSNT as my source control server. Some of the files I wanted to add to my CVS repo, were added as Unicode files. Now, I want to recommit the same as ANSI (aka ASCII) files. However, despite deleting the old files from the repo, every time I add the file with the same  name, it automatically assigns Unicode encoding to the file. </p>

<p>Is there a way out? Or in other words, can I change the encoding of a file, once it is added to CVS?</p>

Firstly, I'd recommend using
TortoiseCVS
as it has better
```
CVSNT
```
support.  Whie
```
CVS
```
and
```
CVSNT
```
are very similar,
```
CVSNT
```
is
not
```
CVS
```
.
TortoiseCVS
```
Add
```
dialog will show the file types as it guesses they are and you can override the filetype there.
For the existing situation, assuming that you don't want to keep the history of the Unicode files, you may try the following.
OK, first the warning:
THOU SHALT NOT EDIT THE CVS REPOSITORY BY HAND (unless thou art truly desperate)
Now for the instructions to break said rule, at your own risk.
Make a backup of your CVSNT repository directory (simple ZIP file will do)
On the client, ensure that the Unicode files are actually deleted locally and in the repository.
In the CVSNT repository directory:
Find the module directory where you originally added the files
Find the
```
Attic
```
directory
Delete the files and any
```
,v
```
extensions of them.
On the client:
Verify that the files have ANSI encoding (plain ol' text files)
```
cvs add
```
the files again