Create UTF8 database.

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Create UTF8 database.

dryg7

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Points: 168
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May 30, 2009 at 6:36 pm

#221834

Hi,

I am new to sql server.

I have a task to create UTF8 database and insert UTF8 data into it.

Is it possible to create a UTF8 database to store UTF8 data in sql server 2005 or 2008 ?

Thanks.

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John H Marsh SSChampion Points: 11671 More actions · Answer 1

John H Marsh

SSChampion

Points: 11671

May 30, 2009 at 7:29 pm

#1002437

Hello,

Did you already see the following MS KB article:-

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/232580

Regards,

John Marsh

www.sql.lu
SQL Server Luxembourg User Group

dryg7 SSC Enthusiast Points: 168 More actions · Answer 2

Hi John,

even though the article talks about SQL server 7 and 2000, it is probably the same for 2005 and 2008.

My problem is that I will not enter the data from the web. I will need to transfer data from Oracle UTF8 database to SQL server.

Then we will have to build cubes from sql server datasource. It is mixed data (English, French, German, Japanese).

I thought it would be easier with SQL server 2005.

Well, I think I have to look for another vendor for my task.

Thanks, Alex

John H Marsh SSChampion Points: 11671 More actions · Answer 3

Hello Alex,

The KB article is also relevant to SQL Server 2005 (there is an “Applies To” Section towards the end). I don’t know of any significant changes for SQL Server 2008.

One of the workarounds for storing UTF-8 data is to create a Custom (User-Defined) Data Type (I have never tried this myself). Anyway, in case it proves useful for you, here is a relevant link:-

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms160893.aspx

Regards,

John Marsh

www.sql.lu
SQL Server Luxembourg User Group

Jacob Luebbers SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4834 More actions · Answer 4

@alex:

Might be a bit late for any relevance but does your data really have to be stored as UTF-8 specifically? For most applications I can think of as long as the storage format is capable of representing all of your desired Unicode characters it shouldn't matter what the storage format is within the DB. Translating UCS-2 data (eg nvarchar as used by SQL Server) to UTF-8 is a fairly trivial task that would usually be done in your import/export layer, be that ADO.NET, ODBC, SSIS, etc.

Regards,

Jacob