Question

Apologies, my question may be incorrect, but CLIENT_LOCALE seems like the current most-likely culprit:

I’ve created a unicode database on my Informix server. We’re pretty sure (but frankly, not absolutely certain) that its DB_LOCALE is set at en_US.57372, because that’s what’s returned for the query Select * from sysmaster:informix.sysdbslocale for that database. I’ve created a table in the unicode database, containing a char(20) column.

I have created a small dotnet program to connect to, INSERT to, and read back from my unicode table. I’ve done some testing and have specified a connection string including DB_LOCALE=en_US.57372 and have successfully inserted some unicode strings featuring accented characters outside the Latin1 set.

I’ve now moved on to testing some of the weirder-looking characters I’ve found on this random unicode character page. When I try these characters, though, I often receive a ERROR [22001] [Informix .NET provider]String data right truncation. message, even when trying to send single characters.

I don’t understand why I would be getting this error when trying to insert single characters into a char(20) column, even if they are for multi-byte unicode characters.

As far as I’m concerned, I’m sending unicode characters and the database is receiving unicode characters. I’ve been through my connection code and verified that I am constructing an IFXCommand which successfully contains those characters I’m trying to send.

The only place I don’t currently have any certainty over is my CLIENT_LOCALE, which I currently have not set, because I don’t know what it should be.

So, my question is: If the problem is likely to be my lack of a CLIENT_LOCALE setting, where can I find what my CLIENT_LOCALE should be? Alternatively, if I’m stupidly missing the real problem, can someone explain where I’m screwing up?

EDIT: I’ve just had a thought. I tried inserting a character ỉ which I thought surely should have worked, but it didn’t. I then tested the string [five spaces]ỉ[five spaces] and that worked. No idea why.

EDIT2: “ᓌ” fails. ” ᓌ ” works. “ᓌᓌ” fails. ” ᓌᓌᓌ ” works. ” ᓌᓌᓌᓌ ” fails. The only thing that stands out to me on the character’s fileformat page is that this is a 3-byte UTF-8 character, whereas it’s a 2-byte UTF-16 character. Even then, though, ” ᓌᓌᓌᓌ ” should still fit within a char(20) field, to say nothing of the smaller strings which had failed. Can’t work this out at all…

Answer 1

So, here’s my “solution”.

I took the list of accented unicode characters found at http://lehelk.com/2011/05/06/script-to-remove-diacritics/

I then removed from that list all of the characters which are found in , then replaced everything which does not exist in ISO-8859-1 with a ?. It’s an nasty, scorched-earth solution, but dragging our database kicking and screaming into the early 1990s doesn’t seem like it’s on the cards.

Public Shared Function ParseTo819(ByRef sendString As String) As String
    Static x As Dictionary(Of String, String)
    If x Is Nothing Then
        x = New Dictionary(Of String, String)
        ''Basic list of diacriticals found at http://lehelk.com/2011/05/06/script-to-remove-diacritics/
        ''Edited to allow IBM891-compatible characters
        x.Add("A", "[\u0041\u24B6\uFF21\u1EA6\u1EA4\u1EAA\u1EA8\u0100\u0102\u1EB0\u1EAE\u1EB4\u1EB2\u0226\u01E0\u01DE\u1EA2\u01FA\u01CD\u0200\u0202\u1EA0\u1EAC\u1EB6\u1E00\u0104\u023A\u2C6F]")
        x.Add("AA", "[\uA732]")
        x.Add("AE", "[\u01FC\u01E2]")
        x.Add("AO", "[\uA734]")
        x.Add("AU", "[\uA736]")
        x.Add("AV", "[\uA738\uA73A]")
        x.Add("AY", "[\uA73C]")
        x.Add("B", "[\u0042\u24B7\uFF22\u1E02\u1E04\u1E06\u0243\u0182\u0181]")
        x.Add("C", "[\u0043\u24B8\uFF23\u0106\u0108\u010A\u010C\u1E08\u0187\u023B\uA73E]")
        x.Add("D", "[\u0044\u24B9\uFF24\u1E0A\u010E\u1E0C\u1E10\u1E12\u1E0E\u0110\u018B\u018A\u0189\uA779]")
        x.Add("DZ", "[\u01F1\u01C4]")
        x.Add("Dz", "[\u01F2\u01C5]")
        x.Add("E", "[\u0045\u24BA\uFF25\u1EC0\u1EBE\u1EC4\u1EC2\u1EBC\u0112\u1E14\u1E16\u0114\u0116\u1EBA\u011A\u0204\u0206\u1EB8\u1EC6\u0228\u1E1C\u0118\u1E18\u1E1A\u0190\u018E]")
        x.Add("F", "[\u0046\u24BB\uFF26\u1E1E\u0191\uA77B]")
        x.Add("G", "[\u0047\u24BC\uFF27\u01F4\u011C\u1E20\u011E\u0120\u01E6\u0122\u01E4\u0193\uA7A0\uA77D\uA77E]")
        x.Add("H", "[\u0048\u24BD\uFF28\u0124\u1E22\u1E26\u021E\u1E24\u1E28\u1E2A\u0126\u2C67\u2C75\uA78D]")
        x.Add("I", "[\u0049\u24BE\uFF29\u0128\u012A\u012C\u0130\u1E2E\u1EC8\u01CF\u0208\u020A\u1ECA\u012E\u1E2C\u0197]")
        x.Add("J", "[\u004A\u24BF\uFF2A\u0134\u0248]")
        x.Add("K", "[\u004B\u24C0\uFF2B\u1E30\u01E8\u1E32\u0136\u1E34\u0198\u2C69\uA740\uA742\uA744\uA7A2]")
        x.Add("L", "[\u004C\u24C1\uFF2C\u013F\u0139\u013D\u1E36\u1E38\u013B\u1E3C\u1E3A\u0141\u023D\u2C62\u2C60\uA748\uA746\uA780]")
        x.Add("LJ", "[\u01C7]")
        x.Add("Lj", "[\u01C8]")
        x.Add("M", "[\u004D\u24C2\uFF2D\u1E3E\u1E40\u1E42\u2C6E\u019C]")
        x.Add("N", "[\u004E\u24C3\uFF2E\u01F8\u0143\u1E44\u0147\u1E46\u0145\u1E4A\u1E48\u0220\u019D\uA790\uA7A4]")
        x.Add("NJ", "[\u01CA]")
        x.Add("Nj", "[\u01CB]")
        x.Add("O", "[\u004F\u24C4\uFF2F\u1ED2\u1ED0\u1ED6\u1ED4\u1E4C\u022C\u1E4E\u014C\u1E50\u1E52\u014E\u022E\u0230\u022A\u1ECE\u0150\u01D1\u020C\u020E\u01A0\u1EDC\u1EDA\u1EE0\u1EDE\u1EE2\u1ECC\u1ED8\u01EA\u01EC\u01FE\u0186\u019F\uA74A\uA74C]")
        x.Add("OI", "[\u01A2]")
        x.Add("OO", "[\uA74E]")
        x.Add("OU", "[\u0222]")
        x.Add("P", "[\u0050\u24C5\uFF30\u1E54\u1E56\u01A4\u2C63\uA750\uA752\uA754]")
        x.Add("Q", "[\u0051\u24C6\uFF31\uA756\uA758\u024A]")
        x.Add("R", "[\u0052\u24C7\uFF32\u0154\u1E58\u0158\u0210\u0212\u1E5A\u1E5C\u0156\u1E5E\u024C\u2C64\uA75A\uA7A6\uA782]")
        x.Add("S", "[\u0053\u24C8\uFF33\u1E9E\u015A\u1E64\u015C\u1E60\u0160\u1E66\u1E62\u1E68\u0218\u015E\u2C7E\uA7A8\uA784]")
        x.Add("T", "[\u0054\u24C9\uFF34\u1E6A\u0164\u1E6C\u021A\u0162\u1E70\u1E6E\u0166\u01AC\u01AE\u023E\uA786]")
        x.Add("TZ", "[\uA728]")
        x.Add("U", "[\u0055\u24CA\uFF35\u0168\u1E78\u016A\u1E7A\u016C\u01DB\u01D7\u01D5\u01D9\u1EE6\u016E\u0170\u01D3\u0214\u0216\u01AF\u1EEA\u1EE8\u1EEE\u1EEC\u1EF0\u1EE4\u1E72\u0172\u1E76\u1E74\u0244]")
        x.Add("V", "[\u0056\u24CB\uFF36\u1E7C\u1E7E\u01B2\uA75E\u0245]")
        x.Add("VY", "[\uA760]")
        x.Add("W", "[\u0057\u24CC\uFF37\u1E80\u1E82\u0174\u1E86\u1E84\u1E88\u2C72]")
        x.Add("X", "[\u0058\u24CD\uFF38\u1E8A\u1E8C]")
        x.Add("Y", "[\u0059\u24CE\uFF39\u1EF2\u0176\u1EF8\u0232\u1E8E\u0178\u1EF6\u1EF4\u01B3\u024E\u1EFE]")
        x.Add("Z", "[\u005A\u24CF\uFF3A\u0179\u1E90\u017B\u017D\u1E92\u1E94\u01B5\u0224\u2C7F\u2C6B\uA762]")
        x.Add("a", "[\u0061\u24D0\uFF41\u1E9A\u1EA7\u1EA5\u1EAB\u1EA9\u0101\u0103\u1EB1\u1EAF\u1EB5\u1EB3\u0227\u01E1\u01DF\u1EA3\u01FB\u01CE\u0201\u0203\u1EA1\u1EAD\u1EB7\u1E01\u0105\u2C65\u0250]")
        x.Add("aa", "[\uA733]")
        x.Add("ae", "[\u01FD\u01E3]")
        x.Add("ao", "[\uA735]")
        x.Add("au", "[\uA737]")
        x.Add("av", "[\uA739\uA73B]")
        x.Add("ay", "[\uA73D]")
        x.Add("b", "[\u0062\u24D1\uFF42\u1E03\u1E05\u1E07\u0180\u0183\u0253]")
        x.Add("c", "[\u0063\u24D2\uFF43\u0107\u0109\u010B\u010D\u1E09\u0188\u023C\uA73F\u2184]")
        x.Add("d", "[\u0064\u24D3\uFF44\u1E0B\u010F\u1E0D\u1E11\u1E13\u1E0F\u0111\u018C\u0256\u0257\uA77A]")
        x.Add("dz", "[\u01F3\u01C6]")
        x.Add("e", "[\u0065\u24D4\uFF45\u1EC1\u1EBF\u1EC5\u1EC3\u1EBD\u0113\u1E15\u1E17\u0115\u0117\u1EBB\u011B\u0205\u0207\u1EB9\u1EC7\u0229\u1E1D\u0119\u1E19\u1E1B\u0247\u025B\u01DD]")
        x.Add("f", "[\u0066\u24D5\uFF46\u1E1F\u0192\uA77C]")
        x.Add("g", "[\u0067\u24D6\uFF47\u01F5\u011D\u1E21\u011F\u0121\u01E7\u0123\u01E5\u0260\uA7A1\u1D79\uA77F]")
        x.Add("h", "[\u0068\u24D7\uFF48\u0125\u1E23\u1E27\u021F\u1E25\u1E29\u1E2B\u1E96\u0127\u2C68\u2C76\u0265]")
        x.Add("hv", "[\u0195]")
        x.Add("i", "[\u0069\u24D8\uFF49\u0129\u012B\u012D\u1E2F\u1EC9\u01D0\u0209\u020B\u1ECB\u012F\u1E2D\u0268\u0131]")
        x.Add("j", "[\u006A\u24D9\uFF4A\u0135\u01F0\u0249]")
        x.Add("k", "[\u006B\u24DA\uFF4B\u1E31\u01E9\u1E33\u0137\u1E35\u0199\u2C6A\uA741\uA743\uA745\uA7A3]")
        x.Add("l", "[\u006C\u24DB\uFF4C\u0140\u013A\u013E\u1E37\u1E39\u013C\u1E3D\u1E3B\u017F\u0142\u019A\u026B\u2C61\uA749\uA781\uA747]")
        x.Add("lj", "[\u01C9]")
        x.Add("m", "[\u006D\u24DC\uFF4D\u1E3F\u1E41\u1E43\u0271\u026F]")
        x.Add("n", "[\u006E\u24DD\uFF4E\u01F9\u0144\u1E45\u0148\u1E47\u0146\u1E4B\u1E49\u019E\u0272\u0149\uA791\uA7A5]")
        x.Add("nj", "[\u01CC]")
        x.Add("o", "[\u006F\u24DE\uFF4F\u1ED3\u1ED1\u1ED7\u1ED5\u1E4D\u022D\u1E4F\u014D\u1E51\u1E53\u014F\u022F\u0231\u022B\u1ECF\u0151\u01D2\u020D\u020F\u01A1\u1EDD\u1EDB\u1EE1\u1EDF\u1EE3\u1ECD\u1ED9\u01EB\u01ED\u01FF\u0254\uA74B\uA74D\u0275]")
        x.Add("oi", "[\u01A3]")
        x.Add("ou", "[\u0223]")
        x.Add("oo", "[\uA74F]")
        x.Add("p", "[\u0070\u24DF\uFF50\u1E55\u1E57\u01A5\u1D7D\uA751\uA753\uA755]")
        x.Add("q", "[\u0071\u24E0\uFF51\u024B\uA757\uA759]")
        x.Add("r", "[\u0072\u24E1\uFF52\u0155\u1E59\u0159\u0211\u0213\u1E5B\u1E5D\u0157\u1E5F\u024D\u027D\uA75B\uA7A7\uA783]")
        x.Add("s", "[\u0073\u24E2\uFF53\u015B\u1E65\u015D\u1E61\u0161\u1E67\u1E63\u1E69\u0219\u015F\u023F\uA7A9\uA785\u1E9B]")
        x.Add("t", "[\u0074\u24E3\uFF54\u1E6B\u1E97\u0165\u1E6D\u021B\u0163\u1E71\u1E6F\u0167\u01AD\u0288\u2C66\uA787]")
        x.Add("tz", "[\uA729]")
        x.Add("u", "[\u0075\u24E4\uFF55\u0169\u1E79\u016B\u1E7B\u016D\u01DC\u01D8\u01D6\u01DA\u1EE7\u016F\u0171\u01D4\u0215\u0217\u01B0\u1EEB\u1EE9\u1EEF\u1EED\u1EF1\u1EE5\u1E73\u0173\u1E77\u1E75\u0289]")
        x.Add("v", "[\u0076\u24E5\uFF56\u1E7D\u1E7F\u028B\uA75F\u028C]")
        x.Add("vy", "[\uA761]")
        x.Add("w", "[\u0077\u24E6\uFF57\u1E81\u1E83\u0175\u1E87\u1E85\u1E98\u1E89\u2C73]")
        x.Add("x", "[\u0078\u24E7\uFF58\u1E8B\u1E8D]")
        x.Add("y", "[\u0079\u24E8\uFF59\u1EF3\u0177\u1EF9\u0233\u1E8F\u1EF7\u1E99\u1EF5\u01B4\u024F\u1EFF]")
        x.Add("z", "[\u007A\u24E9\uFF5A\u017A\u1E91\u017C\u017E\u1E93\u1E95\u01B6\u0225\u0240\u2C6C\uA763]")
    End If
    For Each keyIn In x.Keys
        sendString = Regex.Replace(sendString, x(keyIn), keyIn)
    Next
    sendString = sendString.Replace("€", "E")
    'Having replaced all recognised diacritical characters with plain letters, replace all remaining non-IBM819 characters with question marks
    sendString = Regex.Replace(sendString, "[^0-9a-zA-Z !""#$%&'()*+,-./:;<=>?@\[\\\]^_`{|}~¡¢£¤¥¦§¨©ª«¬®¯°±²³´µ¶·¸¹º»¼½¾¿ÀÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏÐÑÒÓÔÕÖ×ØÙÚÛÜÝÞßàáâãäåæçèéêëìíîïðñòóôõö÷øùúûüýþÿ\s]", "?")

    Return sendString
End Function