Inadvertently converted the database and data to UTF-8 on my forum can't sign in

[thalpal]

I inadvertently converted the database and data to UTF-8 on my forum and now I cannot sign in. Is there anyway to revert? I do not have a recent backup and don't want to lose the posts.  smf 1.1

Any solutions?

[margarett]

Database conversion shouldn't cause such issues. Can you restore your password?
If not, check the last point of this page:
http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/I_accidentally_lost_my_admin_account!_What_can_I_do

You cannot revert the change to UTF8. So unless you have a backup, we'll need to fix whatever problems might arise.
The first thing you need to do (after being able to login as admin ) is to load a UTF8 language pack

[thalpal]

I cannot sign in to do anything. When attempting to sign in, I get a blank page with this line at the top, $db_character_set = 'utf8'; ?>

[margarett]

Please PM me your Settings.php contents. DO NOT paste it here...

[thalpal]

How do I find that? I am not familiar at all with this at all, so please bear with me. I am the content person for the website and had nothing to do with building it.

[margarett]

Yeah, you need FTP access (or cPanel) to your hosting to retrieve the file...

[thalpal]

Is this something our host (tnt powerhost) should be able to access?

[margarett]

Well yes, but you (or who manages the files) also has to access. It's a core SMF file so you should be able to access it easily

[kat]

Is this your site?

thalpal.com / http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com

[thalpal]

margarett, I really have to thank you for your help. Mark, from TNT took your instructions and fixed the problem. The site is very important to its users, and a big thanks from all of them!

K@, yes that is my site. Thanks to margarett it is back online.

[margarett]

You're welcome

For future reference:

OK, there is an error in the file. At the end of it, you find this

Code Select Expand


if (!file_exists($sourcedir) && file_exists($boarddir . '/Sources'))
        $sourcedir = $boarddir . '/Sources';

?>

$db_character_set = 'utf8';
?>
This is wrong, there 2 PHP closing tags. --> ?>
You or them should remove the first one that you see, so that it becomes:

Code Select Expand


if (!file_exists($sourcedir) && file_exists($boarddir . '/Sources'))
        $sourcedir = $boarddir . '/Sources';

$db_character_set = 'utf8';
?>

[kat]

Brilliant, as always, Bruno! Ta!