09 December 2009, 0:29

Hello,

I downloaded Mahara 1.2.0 from mahara.org and tried installing on a Debian platform, Apache server with MySQL 5.0.45, PHP 5.2.5  and I have been unsuccessful. I keep getting the message that the database is not UTF-8 encoded and to drop it, recreate it and reinstall.

I have dropped and recreated new databases umpteen times and still get the same message. Here is a screen shot of my PhpMyAdmin screen. Does it not say the encoding is UTF-8 Unicode? I keep toggling the MySQL connection collation on the left from utf8_general_ci to utf8_unicode_ci and that hasn't helped either.

Please, somebody tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thank you so much!

Perplexed,
Sarah

09 December 2009, 7:40

Hello Sarah,

 I'm no expert, but try this... after creating your DB before installing Mahara have a look at the collation in the Operations-tab. It should be utf8_general_ci too.

 best regards, 

09 December 2009, 9:29

Hi

To add to Elhu's post, scroll down the operations page and make sure that Collation drop down menu is utf8_general_ci and click on the Go button. This carries out the following command:

ALTER DATABASE `databasename` DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;

Cheers

Ali

10 December 2009, 14:33

HI

i have also tried creating the database by changing the collation to utf8_general_ci  .. but of no use

the same error is shown again and again.  

You are not using a UTF-8 database. Mahara stores all data as UTF-8 internally. Please drop and re-create your database using UTF-8 encoding. 

hope if anyone could fix this one 

10 December 2009, 15:11

hmm.. the problem is solved now.. 

10 December 2009, 17:10

Thank you so much Elhu and Ali.

Your suggestions solved my problem!

:)

11 December 2009, 6:24

Hi

More than happy to help Sarah.

I am wondering if users who are having the Collation database problem is creating their databases with MYSQL Administrator? I am using version 1.2.12

Ali

10 December 2009, 15:27

I personally use SQLyog (which is a MySQL database graphical user intrerface)...

Anyway - in PhpMyAdmin switch to SQL tab, write the following SQL sentence and click Go button.

CREATE DATABASE dbname CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;

where dbname is the name of your Mahara database (usually mahara). Then install Mahara. It worked for me

10 December 2009, 17:30

Gregor, thanks for mentioning that you use SQLyog. I had never heard of it before and I am interested in learning more about it, so I'm going to check it out!

Thanks!