Oracle FAQ Your Portal to the Oracle Knowledge Grid
HOME | ASK QUESTION | ADD INFO | SEARCH | E-MAIL US
 

Home -> Community -> Mailing Lists -> Oracle-L -> Re: Character Set / Encrypted text question

Re: Character Set / Encrypted text question

From: david davis <ddoralist_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2003 11:38:49 -0800
Message-ID: <F001.00562445.20030306113849@fatcity.com>


Mark,

I have seen this issue here where an application scrambles/encrypts data into a character field varchar2 but it doesn't work right when moved to another environment.

The source environment was using NLS_LANG=AMERICAN_AMERICA.WE8ISO8859P1 but the target was using NLS_LANG=AMERICAN_AMERICA.US7ASCII. Going from an 8-bit characterset to a 7-bit characterset causes problems where the byte code value should have been properly represented by 8 bits and not 7.

eg. VARCHAR2(15) field contains data ÚØÝ (dec: 218, 216, 221) comes out as U?Y when converted to US7ASCII (see SQL CONVERT function).

Another app I use here does work, but it stores the values in Hex not with the character representation.

Options:

Used 8 bit characterset on database.
Store data as hex value eg. Passwords stored in Oracle table (dba_users [sys.user$]) which is a VARCHAR2(30) field. User RAW fields.

Converting the database characterset requires a database recreation.

David

>From: "Mark Richard" <mrichard_at_transurban.com.au>
>Reply-To: ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com
>To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L <ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com>
>Subject: Character Set / Encrypted text question
>Date: Wed, 05 Mar 2003 19:28:46 -0800
>
>Dear List,
>
>I have a question for the character set guru's out there...
>
>We are trying to store encrypted text from a Forte application into a
>varchar2 column in Oracle (8.1.7.4). When Forte retrieves the string a
>couple of the characters appear to have changed value. I assume we are
>experiencing some kind of character set limitation. Does anyone have any
>ideas about how we might work around this issue? I have included the NLS
>section from out init.ora section for reference.
>
>The only workaround we can think of is converting the string to hex values
>and reassembling these into a long string and then storing that result.
>Does this sound reasonable (assuming it's not a simple character set
>change).
>
>Please keep the help simple - I have never had to be concerned with
>character sets before and don't really understand all of the terminology.
>
># NLS settings
>nls_date_format = "DD-MON-RRRR"
>nls_sort = BINARY
>nls_language = AMERICAN
>nls_numeric_characters = ".,"
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Mark.
><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<---->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Privileged/Confidential information may be contained in this message.
> If you are not the addressee indicated in this message
> (or responsible for delivery of the message to such person),
> you may not copy or deliver this message to anyone.
>In such case, you should destroy this message and kindly notify the sender
> by reply e-mail or by telephone on (61 3) 9612-6999.
> Please advise immediately if you or your employer does not consent to
> Internet e-mail for messages of this kind.
> Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message
> that do not relate to the official business of
> Transurban City Link Ltd
> shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it.
><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<---->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
>--
>Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.net
>--
>Author: Mark Richard
> INET: mrichard_at_transurban.com.au
>
>Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com
>San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message
>to: ListGuru_at_fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in
>the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L
>(or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may
>also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
>



The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
-- 
Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.net
-- 
Author: david davis
  INET: ddoralist_at_hotmail.com

Fat City Network Services    -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com
San Diego, California        -- Mailing list and web hosting services
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message
to: ListGuru_at_fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in
the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L
(or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from).  You may
also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
Received on Thu Mar 06 2003 - 13:38:49 CST

Original text of this message

HOME | ASK QUESTION | ADD INFO | SEARCH | E-MAIL US