Thread: database locale and system locale
Hi everyone! I've been reading tons of stuff on locale and postgresql. I am still not in the clear about some details, though: how do system locale and database locale work together (or not)? (In my case, I am speaking of postgresql 8.1 on debian sarge. But general understanding is what I am looking for.) If I am running a database cluster with --encoding= UTF8, are there any troubles to be expected if the system locale remains "C" or somehting like "de_AT.iso885915@euro"? Any troubles with error messages, dumps, hacking the dump, performance? Any trouble at all? Is it enough to have an UTF8 locale installed on the system? postgres@dbneu:~$ locale -a C de_AT.utf8@euro Or does it actually have to be the system locale? postgres@dbneu:~$ locale LC_ALL="de_AT.UTF-8@euro" Do multiple UTF8 system locales have any effect? postgres@dbneu:~$ locale -a C de_AT.utf8@euro en_US.utf8 Does anyone know these details? It would ease my mind. :) Thanx in advance! Regards Erwin Brandstetter
Erwin Brandstetter wrote: > I've been reading tons of stuff on locale and postgresql. I am still > not in the clear about some details, though: how do system locale and > database locale work together (or not)? The system locale is more or less ignored. What matters are the locales set in the database. > If I am running a database cluster with --encoding= UTF8, are there > any troubles to be expected if the system locale remains "C" or > somehting like "de_AT.iso885915@euro"? Your sort order will approach randomness. > Is it enough to have an UTF8 locale installed on the system? You need to have it installed and you need to tell initdb to use it. > Or does it actually have to be the system locale? No. > Do multiple UTF8 system locales have any effect? No. -- Peter Eisentraut http://developer.postgresql.org/~petere/
peter_e@gmx.net wrote: > Erwin Brandstetter wrote: > >> I've been reading tons of stuff on locale and postgresql. I am still >> not in the clear about some details, though: how do system locale and >> database locale work together (or not)? >> > > The system locale is more or less ignored. What matters are the locales > set in the database. > Great! > >> If I am running a database cluster with --encoding= UTF8, are there >> any troubles to be expected if the system locale remains "C" or >> somehting like "de_AT.iso885915@euro"? >> > > Your sort order will approach randomness. > (...) Wait .. not that great! The system locale is more or less ignored, but my sort order will approach randomness? Can you or anyone shed some more light on this? I am even more confused than I was before .. Regards Erwin Brandstetter
Erwin Brandstetter <brandstetter@falter.at> writes:
> Wait .. not that great! The system locale is more or less ignored, but
> my sort order will approach randomness?
Peter's point is that a given locale setting will expect a particular
encoding, and if you try to use a different encoding then your sort
ordering will be wrong. Not "random" exactly, but not what you want.
regards, tom lane
tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us wrote: > Erwin Brandstetter <brandstetter@falter.at> writes: > >> Wait .. not that great! The system locale is more or less ignored, but >> my sort order will approach randomness? >> > > Peter's point is that a given locale setting will expect a particular > encoding, and if you try to use a different encoding then your sort > ordering will be wrong. Not "random" exactly, but not what you want. Sorry, maybe I am slow in the head. Are you referring to the system locale of the client OS? My question was aiming at the database server OS. (Maybe I have not been clear enough myself.) Example: ~~~~~~~ Postgresql --encoding=UTF8 --locale='de_AT.UTF-8@euro' Server OS: (Debian Sarge) set system locale 'C' (locale 'de_AT.UTF-8@euro' is installed, too) PHP5, Apache. Client: Browser (Mozilla Firefox in our case) on various OS´s (Mac, Win, Linux), set to work with UNICODE data. Would the system locale of the _server_ OS mess with the sort order? (Or with anything at all?) Any sorting done on the client would be based on the _client_ OS system locale, but that is a different question .. Regards Erwin Brandstetter
Am Montag, 27. März 2006 10:56 schrieb Erwin Brandstetter: > Would the system locale of the _server_ OS mess with the sort order? (Or > with anything at all?) No. -- Peter Eisentraut http://developer.postgresql.org/~petere/