Re: Bug #3924: Create Database with another encoding as the encoding from postgres

Joe <dev(at)freedomcircle(dot)net> writes:
> I can understand that creating a LATIN2, EUC_CN or some other encoding
> in a LATIN1 cluster may cause problems, but don't quite see how UTF-8
> can be a problem since in essence it includes the others. Perhaps
> someone can provide further explanation?

The locale setting implies a specific encoding. UTF8 may contain all
the same characters that, say, LATIN1 does, but it's not anywhere near
representationally the same, and locale-dependent functions will do the
wrong thing if they are fed UTF8 when they are expecting LATIN1.

> Assuming this situation will remain as is in the immediate future, what
> are my options? The 8.3 cluster has a LATIN1 database that must stay
> that way (at least for a while).

Why does it have to be LATIN1? If your answer is "my client code deals
in LATIN1", just set client_encoding = LATIN1. You could do that with
ALTER DATABASE SET or possibly ALTER USER SET so that it's transparent
to the clients.

regards, tom lane