Consistant encoding

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May 31st, 2013, 11:06 AM

NotionCommotion

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Consistant encoding

It has recently come to my attention that I should be more diligent on consistent encoding. Below are several examples where I am specifying utf8 encoding. Please confirm that I am doing them correctly and fill in the blanks, and indicate which other scopes require encoding to be specified. Thank you

Set encoding when connecting to the database

Code:

$db = new PDO(
  "mysql:host=localhost;dbname=myDB;charset=utf8",
  'myUserName',
  'myPassword',
  array(
    PDO::ATTR_EMULATE_PREPARES=>false,
    PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE=>PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION,
    PDO::ATTR_DEFAULT_FETCH_MODE=>PDO::FETCH_ASSOC
  )
);

Set encoding for HTML

Code:

<meta charset="utf-8" />

Save files as utf8

Code:

???

Specifying utf8 in the pdo call

Code:

???

May 31st, 2013, 01:35 PM

requinix

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- I don't remember if <meta charset> is old or new, but there's also

Code:

<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />

or with PHP

PHP Code:


		
			
 header("Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8");

- Saving files as UTF-8 only matters if you have non-ASCII characters in them. In fact until PHP fixes its long-standing issues with BOMs (a) you're safer off not using UTF-8 or (b) you need to make sure your editor doesn't include a BOM when saving (many don't).

- You already did UTF-8 with the database stuff.

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May 31st, 2013, 01:47 PM

Jacques1

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Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotionCommotion

Set encoding when connecting to the database

This is correct. When using PDO, you have to specify the character encoding in the DSN string. For MySQLi, you'd have to use mysqli_set_charset(). And for the old extension, it's mysql_set_charset().

In any case: Do not use SET NAMES.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotionCommotion

Set encoding for HTML

Code:

<meta charset="utf-8" />

No. It's up to the web server to deliver text files (HTML, JavaScript, CSS, ...) with the right character encoding in the Content-Type header. So you need to do this in the web server configuration.

This "meta" stuff is a bit absurd, because obviously the browser has to know the character encoding before it can read the content. The "meta" element does work thanks to a bit of magic, and it's actually recommended to have it for documentation purposes. But it's no replacement for a proper Content-Type header.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotionCommotion

Save files as utf8

That's up to your IDE/editor. You need to set this in the configuration.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotionCommotion

Specifying utf8 in the pdo call

What do you mean?

Of course you also have to specify the character encoding when using escaping functions like htmlspecialchars(). Many people forget that, but it's necessary for the function to even work.

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May 31st, 2013, 01:48 PM

NotionCommotion

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Thank you requinix,

I meant to add the following when initially creating the database to my original post but accidentally deleted it.

Code:

CREATE DATABASE mydb
  DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8
  DEFAULT COLLATE utf8_general_ci;

You think encoding should be added to the HTML using HTML or PHP?

Thanks for the advice on saving files.

May 31st, 2013, 01:55 PM

NotionCommotion

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Thank you Jacques1,

Quote:

In any case: Do not use SET NAMES.

I don't even know what this really does, but I promise I will never use it!!!

Quote:

But it's no replacement for a proper Content-Type header.

Thanks, this answers my question to requinix's post.

Quote:

Specifying utf8 in the pdo call
...
What do you mean?

I thought Northie said it was required. No?

May 31st, 2013, 02:22 PM

Jacques1

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Quote:

Originally Posted by NotionCommotion

I don't even know what this really does, but I promise I will never use it!!!

I explained it in the other thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotionCommotion

I thought Northie said it was required. No?

The "PDO call" Northie talks about is the DSN string used when creating a PDO instance. You did that.

I don't know what he means by "connect to the database and specify utf8". Maybe SET NAMES? That would be bad advice.

Anyway, as long you have the "charset=utf8" in the DSN string and set the character encoding of the database, you should be fine. MySQL has many, many other settings for the character encoding, and the whole procedure of how characters are encoded back and forth is f*cking complex. But I don't think this is relevant, and I never could get myself diving into this mess.

May 31st, 2013, 02:35 PM

NotionCommotion

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Quote:

I explained it in the other thread.

Yea, I know, but I was already committed to never use it so why waste the time to read your post

PS. I've since read your post. Thanks!

Consistant encoding

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