Values are returned as question marks.

Question

I have set up a UTF-8 database, on my english version of WinXP..
SELECT * FROM NLS_DATABASE_PARAMETERS;
.. shows this is correct - UTF8
I have set up NLS_LANG variable in windows, to be "American.America.UTF8"
Using SQL*Plus worksheet I can update a row in my database to contain chinese characters. I dont know what the chinese means, but I can copy and paste from another application, and the glyphs looks the same in the source and SQL*Plus worksheet.
I can then select the row ..
SELECT * FROM THETABLE WHERE THECOLUMN = '{CHINESECHARS}';
The correct row is returned, but the column is shown with just question marks, instead of the glyphs I expect.
(This also happens with the web application I am developing which also seems to return qurestion marks. (PHP not JSP))
Can anyone shed any light on this problem as I am completely stuck.

Answer 1

Check these notes# 132453.1, 152260.1 & 158577.1 out on metalink also for further good details. This may/may not work for Chinese yet it should steer you
in the right direction.. It's the combination of the NLS_LANG and Active
Code page settings on the client as well as the database characterset. I believe you say the database character set is UTF8. That part should be correct. It's then the client side combo's that do the trick. It's trying differing combo's until he desired results are achieved. Having not worked with Chinese I can
give you an example of what I've experienced...
These are the following steps I performed to enable the client SQL*Plus (command line and GUI) and SQL*Worksheet to display/input the euro currency symbol correctly for example...
1) Search from the top of the registry (regedit) for ALL occurrences of NLS_LANG and make the value AMERICAN_AMERICA.WE8MSWIN1252.
2) Go to the following registry entry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\CodePage\ACP
and change the active code page (ACP) to 1252. If there is an OEMACP entry there change that also to 1252.
3) Reboot the PC
To test .. go to DOS and enter at the prompt..
E:\>chcp
Active code page: 1252
If the above message IS NOT 1252 you must have missed editting the registry entry
explained above. However you can change it for this session by entering
E:\>chcp 1252
- < Set font to Lucida Console (in Properties, Font tab) >
To get the UNICODE characters you want insert into the database do the following
E:\>charmap
You will see a display of different characters.
If you click on advanced view at the lower right corner a search screen comes up. Enter UNICODE for the character set, ALL for group by and EURO for the search for and the euro currency symbol will come up. This is one way how the user can enter this character into the app. You can copy the character in this function as you can see and then you can paste it elsewhere. Copy whatever character you want to test with. My test was with the euro currency symbol.
E:\>sqlplus.exe <user>/<pwd>
SQL*Plus: Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production on Fri Jul 13 13:22:19 2001
(c) Copyright 1999 Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.
Connected to: Oracle8i Enterprise Edition Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
With the Partitioning option JServer Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
SQL> create table t (a char(3));
Table created.
SQL>insert into t values ('');
1 row inserted. SQL>
commit;
SQL> select * from t;
A
If the all the registry edits were performed correctly this will work with
SQL*Plus GUI and SQL*Worksheet.
Check these notes# 132453.1, 152260.1 & 158577.1 out on metalink also for further details real carefully.