Missing posts after changing Language file?

[SergeantAsh]

I have just changed the language file in use on my forum from English to 'English (British)' and randomly the body of many of the forum posts has just been blanked, the post is still there as is it's subject but the actual post text is empty.

Anyone any ideas if this data has now been lost? and why it happened in the first place?

[CapadY]

Be sure all language files are there.
You can copy them again manualy via FTP.

After that, clear your forumcache:
Admin - Maintenance - Forum Maintenance - Routine, run the last option

[SergeantAsh]

Just ran that task and it completed successfully, however the posts with missing content are still blank - it is only certain members that have blank posts, and only in some threads, not all?

I used the automatically Language Search and Download tools within the Admin panel to get the new language pack, it was so as to get rid of the odd symbols that appeared when members tried to post Pound (£) signs.

Should I try and revert back to the other language file I have installed?

Thanks for your help.

[SergeantAsh]

Oddly, I've just reverted back to the 'English' ISO language set and the pound signs do now appear, and the missing posts have reappeared!!

Bit strange because the Language pack I have switched back to wouldn't show Pound symbols correctly? Now it does?

Any ideas?

[CapadY]

No idea about showing a pound sign Not realy known with the english languages.

I had misread your question, I thought textstrings weren't shown.
Post's should always be shown, even when you select the Japanese language so I think it is very weird at all.

[SergeantAsh]

I've got this issue once again - my English Pound currency symbols are showing as � for some reason! Any ideas? Is it worth converting my forum to UTF8? Are there any risks associated with this?

[SergeantAsh]

Interestingly, I have a feed of topics shown on the frontpage of my portal (SimplePortal) and in the frontpage posts the pound currency symbol appears fine!?

[Norv]

Your forum is not UTF8, if I understand correctly?

What version exactly is your forum?

What charset and collation do your database tables have (actually your fields in the tables)?

[SergeantAsh]

Thanks for your reply Norv.

No my forum isn't currently UTF8 but I've noticed the option within the Admin panel to convert it. Here's the stats from my Database:

Character Set: utf8 -- UTF-8 Unicode
Collation: utf8_general_ci
Table type: MyISAM

My forum is currently configured to use a language file called:

English   ISO-8859-1     en_US

Would the correct step forward be to use the SMF UTF8 conversion within the Admin panel? If so (and having backed up everything) what are the risks?

[Norv]

How about the columns of a table like smf_messages? If you select it in phpmyadmin, and look at the structure, what collation do the columns have? (those who have one)
How about a table with "sp_" in the name? (those who are created by simple portal), what collation have its fields?

[SergeantAsh]

Interestingly my tables are a mix of the following...

latin1_swedish_ci
utf8_general_ci

My 'Messages' table is 'latin1_swedish_ci'. I haven't ever set these, they were setup initially by SMF 1.1 RC2 from which I went to SMF 2.0 RC3. The SP_ tables are UTF8.

Should I go with the forum conversion option to UTF8 via the Admin Panel option? Will that also amend my DB tables for me to UTF8 or should I do that manually?

[Norv]

I can't answer yet.
So, please don't convert to UTF8.

Even if the table smf_messages is latin1_swedish_ci, how are the columns in it? If you select the table, and see its structure, what collation do the columns have?
How about smf_admin_files?

[SergeantAsh]

I can't answer yet.
So, please don't convert to UTF8.

Even if the table smf_messages is latin1_swedish_ci, how are the columns in it? If you select the table, and see its structure, what collation do the columns have?
How about smf_admin_files?

The varchar and text columns within the SMF_MESSAGES table are all 'latin1_swedish_ci'.

[Norv]

In your Settings.php file, is there a line saying something like:

$db_character_set = 'utf8';

or similar, some other character set?

[SergeantAsh]

In your Settings.php file, is there a line saying something like:

$db_character_set = 'utf8';

or similar, some other character set?

Nope, no character set related bits within the settings.php file

[Norv]

If you look in the messages table, browse to a message which contains the euro sign, one which you cannot see on your board, can you see it properly in phpmyadmin?

[SergeantAsh]

Viewing a specific topic with £ (pound) symbols within PHPMyAdmin shows that they appear correctly as the symbol (£), interestingly hough single quotes appear as...

Code Select Expand

'

[Norv]

Okay, thank you.

Can you please check your PM? I would appreciate to see an example post with the problem... I'm afraid I didn't notice any garbked characters in the former one.

[SergeantAsh]

Okay, thank you.

Can you please check your PM? I would appreciate to see an example post with the problem... I'm afraid I didn't notice any garbked characters in the former one.

Sorry for the late reply Norv, I'm sending you a link to the page with the pound symbol issues...

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

Any updates on this? Have you been able to sort things out?