[wp-testers] DB_CHARSET and DB_COLLATE in wp-config.php

[Jennifer Hodgdon]

Michael E. Hancock wrote:
> With 2.2, there's slated two additional values in wp-config.php, DB_CHARSET
> and DB_COLLATE,  for users to consider.
> 
> In getting ready for the 2.2 release, I've made a working copy of the Edit
> wp-config.php document at
> http://codex.wordpress.org/User:MichaelH/Editing_wp-config.php
> 
> I'm interested in comments on the "Database character set" and "Database
> collate" sections I've added to that document.  Is what I've described
> adequate?

I was left with a few questions when reading these sections. I am not 
sure if the answers belong there -- maybe you are planning to answer 
them in the Converting Database Character Sets document, which doesn't 
seem to exist yet? But I think the average user might at least want a 
brief explanation of what character set and collation are (see c 
below), and who should be worried about them.

Here are my questions [and possibly correct answers I dug around to find]:

a) If I have an existing wp-config file, do I need to add DB_COLLATE 
and DB_CHARSET to it when I upgrade to 2.2?

[I am not sure what the answer is; probably not for most people?]

b) What are the possible values, and why would anyone want to change 
them?

[I am not sure about who really needs to change the defaults -- 
non-European languages? List of possible values is at 
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/charset-charsets.html ]

c) Where can I find out more about collation and character sets?

[ http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/charset-general.html ]

d) What does WP use these values for?

[From reading the code, I think WP uses them to define the character 
set/collation when creating new database tables (probably not when 
altering existing tables?). WP also uses the character set in a SET 
NAMES call when first connecting to MySQL, but I don't know enough 
about the subject to comment on how this would affect the user.]

     --Jennifer