unicode handling

chintupintu03

Hello all,

I am trying to use "charset=utf-8" in my program, for handling 'hindi' language (indian).
The task is to accept inputs from users in 'hindi' language, store in DB and display in the same language as per search.

Is there any method to relate the english key-strokes with 'Hindi'?
e.g. how to type the equivalent word for [ 'universe' in english ] in 'Hindi'.

What precautions are to be taken through program, if the visitor browser does not support 'unicode' display format?

Following is the code to accept value from user.
******* unicode_sample.php

<?php include "connection.php"; // to connect with the database ?>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>

<body>
<form name="my_form" method="post" action="act_unicode_sample.php">
<table> <tr>
<td height="27" align="left"> </span>Program Venue </td>
<td align="left">
<input type="text" size="50" maxlength="100" name="prg_venue_v" style="font-family: Mangal" value="">

</td>
</tr> </table>
<table> <tr>
<td colspan="4" height="26" align="center" class="engfont">
<input type="submit" value="Submit"> </div>
</td> </tr> </table>
</form>
</body>

Following is the program to store the value in DB
********* act_unicode_sample.php

<?php include "connection.php"; //to connect with the database ?>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>

<?php
$q="INSERT INTO programs (program_venue) VALUES('$prg_venue_v')";

echo " query formed $q <br> " ; // the check proper query formed or not
$query="SET NAMES 'utf8' "; // this was suggested by one of friend, did't understand the purpose
$query="SET CHARACTER_SET utf8;"; // this was suggested by one of friend, did't understand the purpose
$result = mysql_query($q) or die("insert failed");
echo " query executed" ; // message to check whether execution has reached the last part of program
?>
</body>

Follwoing is the program to display the values from DB

******** unicode_display.php

<?php include "connection.php"; ?>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>

<body>
<?php
$qry = "SELECT program_venue FROM programs";
echo " query formed $qry <br> " ; // to check proper query is formed or not

$res = mysql_query($qry);
// while loop is to read the values from DB and display
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($res))
{
echo "$row[program_venue]";
echo "<BR>" ;
}
?>
</body>

The rows are fetched from DB, but the characters are not properly readable.
Please help me in this regard.

I have attached the sample file of data stored in table.

Thanks in advance.

Looking for help.

herve

Many questions 🙂

how to type the equivalent word for [ 'universe' in english ] in 'Hindi'.

You don't have to do anything special to map an Hindi character on US/GB keyboard.

Depending of your OS, you install a "virtual" keyboard, and then you just type "normally".
This is on the client part. You can't do anything about that from a server/PHP point of view.

There's no "ok this guy has typed on the 'G' touch, so using Javascript I'm sending back this
Hindi character instead of a 'G' ".

$query="SET NAMES 'utf8' "; // this was suggested by one of friend, did't understand the purpose
$query="SET CHARACTER_SET utf8;"; // this was suggested by one of friend, did't understand the purpose

the " SET NAMES 'utf8' " : it's like saying to MySQL "all the data I'm sending to you
are encoded in Unicode" (data inside an INSERT/UPDATE query).

You also need to do it when querying the database (SELECT) to get results encoded
in Unicode (when you want to display data coming from de D😎

The "SET CHARACTER_SET utf8;" is quite redundant with the "SET NAMES 'utf8' ",
so I'm not sure you really need it.

"SET NAMES 'utf8'" is equivalent to :

SET character_set_client = 'utf8';
SET character_set_results = 'utf8';
SET character_set_connection = 'utf8';

"SET CHARACTER SET 'utf8'" is equivalent to :

SET character_set_client = 'utf8';
SET character_set_results = 'utf8';
SET collation_connection = @@collation_database;

More info here : http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/charset-unicode.html

The rows are fetched from DB, but the characters are not properly readable.

If you try to read Hindi characters inside the MySQL client, this is normal.

You need an Unicode "display". For instance, you can query your DB
with a "SELECT * FROM ..." and then print an HTML page with the data
coming from the DB, and it should be fine this time.

chintupintu03

Hello Herve,

Thanks for the detailed reply.

As per your inputs for the last part for displaying the rows from the table, I have changed the program as follows :

<?php include "connection.php"; ?>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>

<body>
<?php

$query="SET CHARACTER_SET utf8;";
$qry = "SELECT program_venue FROM programs_m";

$res = mysql_query($qry);
echo "<table border=1>" ;
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($res))
{
echo "<tr> <td>" ;
echo "$row[program_venue]";
echo "</td> </TR>" ;
}
echo "</table>" ;

</body>

Is it same what you were suggesting? With these lines, I still can not read the contents. Can you give some more inputs for this OR can you provide your own sample code alongwith sample data for reference?

Thanks. Waiting for your reply.