Joomla! Discussion Forums

Hi,
I tried to write with Latin, Greek and Cyrillic letters in Fireboard but all I get is the Latin words and then only "??????????"
I assumed 1.5 (beta 2) should handle that.
Is there anything I can do to have this work?
Thanks


(test: abcd, αβγδ, абвг)

This could be a fireboard thing.  Do these characters work in other parts of Joomla!

What database and MySQL version are you using?  Do you have MBString support?

Ian

I tried with articles. Same problem.

MySQL: 5.0.19-nt-log

mbstring is enabled

( mbstring.internal_encoding = UTF-8
mbstring.http_input = UTF-8
mbstring.http_output = UTF-8
mbstring.encoding_translation = On )

I'm almost sure, that during install you've created database tables not with "utf-8" encoding, but with "Latin 1" or something (you may check this with myphpadmin or other MySql admin tool). I've got this twice, and I had to reinstall Joomla! (recreate database), paying special attention to this...

yvolk:

does this happen when Joomla! creates the database?  Or only when the database is created manually?

Ian

Is Fireboard 1.5 compatible?

I didn't know Joomla! can create database, or do you mean tables in database if the later, during creation of database, utf8 collation has to be specified otherwise it doesn't work at least in my case (Armenian language), couple of time I created database forgot the change the collation (on my server default is latin1_swedish_ci) however during Joomla! 1.5 installation I made sure utf8_general_ci was select but that only effected Joomla! any component installed took the default collation of the server in my case latin1_swedish_ci hence during creation of database collation has to be specified/changed.

According to their roadmap mid August in legacy mod.

Hmmm...
Looks like it is not obvious
http://www.bestofjoomla.com/component/o ... 2/catid,2/

how can I choose UTF-8 during installation ??
I can't see any selection dialog related to that

Is it possible to select UTF-8 for DB tables during installation (at least I don't see any possibility)? Or the encoding should be changed manually?

Yet, this happends, when Joomla! creates database... maybe previous time I created database myself.


I've tried myself and didn't find either  .
But when I created DB myself with utf8_general_ci collation, during installation Joomla! created tables in this existing DB with the same, unicode collation. So, it seems, that you have to create database manually if you need "internationalization".

I think, that by default Joomla! 1.5 should create unicode database!

Thanks a lot! Now it displays everything right

J-guys, what do you think if during installation DB is created by default with UTF-8 charset/collation, or at least if there is some way for the administrator to choose set/collation?

As far as I know, when one is owning one's server, 1.5 creates full utf8 databases automatically.
It is different on a share hosting where the database has to be created by the account owner manually.
In this last case, just creating a db with the right utf8 collation is enough.

I've tested this yesterdaday, and Joomla! 1.5 Beta2 created latin1 DB on my local system, when I gave it root MySQL password (server owner).
----------
My configuration:
1. WindowsXP sp2 Pro
2. ApacheFriends XAMPP (basic package) version 1.5.2
  + Apache 2.2.0
  + MySQL 5.0.20
  + PHP 5.1.2 + PEAR
  + phpMyAdmin 2.8.0.3
  + ...

Yvolk, for me this is a bug.

Ok, I've created a "bug tracker item" for this.

Yes, it is confirmed that Joomla! creates the database with the preset collation of MySQL (meaning its default collation).

I didn't understand the verdict of Dev team  :
"OK, after consultation with the Dev Team, this is not considered to be a bug.
The collation of the database is preset by the server administrator and with
simple words, whatever it is latin or other, the characters saved are under
utf8."

Characters are NOT saved in utf8 format! If this was true, nobody even have noticed that "Collation of MySQL".

Anyway, this behaviour is NOT USER FRIENDLY...

I am forwarding to your e-mail the full answer received.

Yvolk, bot sure where you got that information. The collaction is a know bug in beta 2, listed on the tracker.

Thank you, I see, that this Bug tracker item is opened again 
As I understand, having no choices of DB collation during installation is worse, than having too much choices. I think, only two options will be enough for 99% of users: "unicode collation" (default option) and "database server default collation" (for advanced users or users with restricted rights...)?!

I don't think that there should be an option at all. If possible create a DB with UTF-8, otherwise create by using default collation.

Sorry Ivo you are correct, i mixed up the collation and the character set. Joomla! does indeed use the default collation of the database and this has no effect on the character set.

@Some : If there are problems with fireboard i suggest you contact the developers about this. It probably means they have not fully updated FireBoard for Joomla! 1.5 compatibility. If they have any question how to do this you can redirect them to our development forums and we will happely help them to fix this problem.

I suggest a database collation check during installation of Joomla 1.5, if pre-created database is utf8 than proceed with installation otherwise a message to user e.g. database collation is 'latin1_swedish_ci' please exit installation change database collation to utf8 and than process with installation of Joomla 1.5

@aravot

There is no issue with it (if else and someone encounters issues with it please post details here). What I mean is that the database collation could be latin, windows Cyrillic or anything, but Joomla! API saves and gets the information from there as UTF.

Basically the only issue that appears in such cases is if you decide to move the database, export through phpMyAdmin and try to import it on another server. Then the second server gets the collation (because usually it is put in the create tables SQL) and use it with the charset in the SQL file. This means that when moving databases from one server to another you need to manually edit the SQL file. At least this is my experience with it.

That is indeed correct, the collation only determines the sorting order for the database, in most cases you will not even notice it when it isn't set correctly.

The problem is not Joomla (whatever the database collation Joomla installs as utf8_general_ci) but when 3rd party add-ons are installed they are installed with default database collation.

example when I create a database from my cPanel by default it creates the database as latin1_swedish_ci
When I install Joomla! 1.5 it installs as utf8_general_ci but
When I install VirtueMart or FireBoard they installs as latin1_swedish_ci so before installing Joomla 1.5 I have to got to phpmyadmin and change the database collation to utf8 and than continue with Joomla installation, but sometime I forget to change and have problems later on, hence request for database check during Joomla installation

aravot

And why do you need the component tables to be utf_general_ci?

In my language if it is not utf8 than character appear as box or question mark.