Where is DB_CHARSET set?

[digitalbricks]

Using WBCE 1.4.0 (with PHP 7.2) i am wondering where the constant DB_CHARSET is set initially. As the result of class.database.php using a empty string as fallback if DB_CHARSET isn't set (see here) special chars are not displayed correctly sometimes when moving a site from one server to another (I assume, depending on the default connection charset of the single MySQL server).

I change this linie to ...

$this->sCharset = strtolower(preg_replace('/[^a-z0-9]/i', '', (defined('DB_CHARSET') ? DB_CHARSET : 'utf8')));

... wich fixed the issue in my case but may not work in any case as the connection charset my vary.

Oddly enough: In previous versions of WBCE i was able to define that constant in the config.php to match my needs. But now, echo-ing DB_CHARSET in class.database.php (inside the connect()-method) throws an undefined-constant-warning. And so the fallback with the empty strings jumps in place (in the unmodified version).

So my questions basically are:

• Where is DB_CHARSET definded "by design" in WBCE?
• Why is DB_CHARSET undefined inside the class?

Bonus question:

• Why is framework/class.database.php gone in the master branch of this repository?

Many thanks in advance!

[instantflorian]

Hi, the master branch is currently incomplete / not working properly. We have tried to implement a new database class to address the database via PDO, but failed, e.g. there are issues we are ciurrently not able to solve.

I cannot answer your main questions, please check if the issues appear also with the release (!) version of WBCE 1.4.0 and/or the development branch. I have marked the development branch as the new default branch since this branch is working well (and does not use PDO).

Your bonus question: In the master branch, there is a new subdirectory in which you find the database related classes.

If you have a solution to the other problems with PDO (unwanted slashes in some modules, installation failure on PHP 7.4/MySQL8) we would be happy about any contributions.

BR -Florian

[digitalbricks]

Hello Florian,

thank you for your reply!

If the release version you have linked is identically with the version available on the WBCE-Website, then the issue is present there (i am currently using this).

I assume this issue only arises if an existing website is moved from one host to another and the new hosts database server is using another default charset. Beside that, i think it will not happen on a clean install because the installer communicates with the mysql server using the servers default charset (because the database class does not set a correct value due to the missing DB_CHARSET value).

So the main problem is, that the DB_CHARSET constant isn't available inside the connect() method of the class while all other database relatet constants such as DB_HOST etc. ARE availabe – making it impossible to adapt the charset to the individual needs. Thats odd and and I've currently no idea what's causing this. 🤔

[instantflorian]

Yes, the release version is that one which is linked on wbce.org. Hm, strange. I hope some of the developers can answer your question and solve the issue. I don't think the current behaviour is intended.

[digitalbricks]

Found a simple solution: The "trick" is to define the constant DB_CHARSET BEFORE the line require_once(dirname(__FILE__).'/framework/initialize.php'); in config.php – in the best case in the block defining all other database relevant constants.

I am pretty sure the definition also worked at the end of the file in 1.3.x but I may be wrong. Anyway, this solves such charset issues without hacking the core and is a good enough solution for the problem.

I think this constant should be documented in the help section of the WBCE site, because charset problems seems to be an not uncommon issue with WB/WBCE sites.

You may remove the BUG label, because it appears to be an user error.

Thank you very much!

[WebDesignWorx]

Yes, you're correct, André. It needs to be before the inclusion of the initialize.php. And/but it was never other way around (technically impossible).

[digitalbricks]

I double checked that and: Your are right (of course)! On the other sites I defined the charset also above the initialization. So thank you both very much for helping people help themselves! :-)

[WebDesignWorx]

Yes, I found it very enlightening how this issue resolved all by itself, by the original author. :-)