mysql and mssql

[suzie]

Dear, in Mysql database with collation utf8, I inserted arabic data, after retreiving them using php with charset=utf-8I used mysql_query("set names utf8"); the problem is solvedis there an alternative for this query if we are reading from mssql..thank you

[boen_robot]

In MS SQL, unicode strings are stored with separate types (nchar, nvarchar, etc.), so there's no need to do that.BTW, using mysql_set_charset() is really the appropriate way to set UTF-8 charset, unless you're using a PHP version earlier than 5.2.3.

[suzie]

Thank you for your reply, am usind the types, nchar, ntext, etc... but when retreiving data they appear as questions marks..am using php, and the charset of the page is utf8,any help please????

[boen_robot]

Which API are you accessing MS SQL with (PDO, sqlsrv extension...)?

[suzie]

am using ODBC connection$sqlconnect=odbc_connect($db,$username,$password);

[boen_robot]

I'd strongly reccomend that you switch to either PDO or the sqlsrv extension. It's pretty trivial with them.For ODBC... you could try adding

;CharacterSet=UTF-8

to your connection string, but I have no idea if it would work.

[suzie]

do not know where to put it exactly "CharacterSet=UTF-8"please can u give me more detailsand what about PDO, it works..I'd never use it

[boen_robot]

Add it at the end of the value of the $db variable (that's really your connection string). What's its current value anyway?

[suzie]

like that:$sqlconnect=odbc_connect($db,$username,$password,CharacterSet=UTF-8);

[boen_robot]

I said the $db variable, not the odbc_connect() function...Find the place where you have "$db =". It should look something like:

$db = 'Server=localhost;Database=whatever_the_name_of_your_database_is';

Add ";CharacterSet=UTF-8", i.e. turn it into:

$db = 'Server=localhost;Database=whatever_the_name_of_your_database_is;CharacterSet=UTF-8';