Re: change db character set

In article <7ehmru$nit$1_at_jaydee.iway.fr>,   "Jérôme Texier" <jtexier_at_ystel.fr> wrote:
> Wai <reebok-wai_at_bigfoot.com> a écrit dans le message :
> 370C5692.C13C6ED2_at_bigfoot.com...
> > I have create a database and have lot of data in it.
> >
> > Can I change the character set of the db?
> > If yes, how can I do that? Is there any tool to help me?
> >
> > I am running oracle server 8.0.4 with win NT server 4 sp3
>
> Yes you can but be careful, if you change it, you will lost any
> "accentuation".
>
> Select * from sys.props$
> where name = 'NLS_CHARACTERSET';
> => give you the current CHARACTERSET
>
> and :
> Update sys.props$
> set value$='<NEW CHARACTERSET>'
> where name='NLS_CHARACTERSET';
> => modify the characterset
>
> It should work if my memory is good.
> Be careful : you must type a good characterset !!!
>
> DON'T FORGET TO SAVE YOUR DATABASE BEFORE. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND NOT
> SUPPORTED !!!
this should work, but as stated, be _very_ careful... if it makes you skittish, take the time to exp/reinstall/imp.

additionally, make sure that <NEW CHARACTERSET> is a superset of your current character set to avoid data loss... for instance, the one time I did this a previous employee had installed the database as US7ASCII which worked until I needed to test the product with Western European characters. at that point tweaking the existing base to use WE8ISO8859P1 worked because 7-bit ascii (US7ASCII) is a subset of 8-bit Western European. a change from WE8ISO8859P1 back to US7ASCII could result in potential data loss.

also, once you've set the character set for the base, be _sure_ the clients specify NLS_LANG (AMERICAN_AMERICA.WE8ISO8859P1, GERMAN_GERMANY.WE8ISO8859P1, SWEDISH_SWEDEN.WE8ISO8859P1, whatever)...

• mark

-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==---------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own Received on Wed Apr 21 1999 - 12:37:53 CDT