Problem with DB and Char size (2)

[robert dockins]

> As I haven't found how to force the driver not to strip the byte, and also I don't like to convert data two times, I'd try to send 8 bit strings, but don't know how.
> Is Word8 a solution? If it is, what is the contstructor?, as w = W8# 1 doesn't compile.
> 
> I'm weak on low level Haskell. Where do I find references? On the Report?

I don't know about the rest of your problem but use fromIntegral or 
toEnum to get Word8 values, eg

charToWord8 :: Char -> Word8
charToWord8 = toEnum . fromEnum