Im having an odd (and annoying) problem with text data being returned via
Oracle::DBD (10.7) to an Apache::ASP (2.09) script. Essentially, perl that
returns perfectly valid characters in both cgi and as a .pl file fails to
return valid characters in the context of an Apache::ASP file. The issue,
I think has to do with the fact that the Oracle database (8.0.6) is
returning 8-bit characters. I can confirm this because I can repoint my
application to a version of the database set with 7bit characters and
everything works. While this shouldnt really be a problem (and isnt in the
normal 'perl' setting), Apache::ASP/mod_perl seems to be barfing on these
characters.
Here's some sample code:
use PNAP::Database::Query; ## a simplified database connection module
use CGI qw/:standard/; ## for CGI output
print header,
start_html('A Simple Example'),
## make a database connection
my $dbconn= new PNAP::Database::Query(Connection=>"NSPFinance", Debug=>0);
## the sql statementA
my $orgSQL = "select o.FULLNAME";
$orgSQL .= " from ORGANIZATION o, PARTY_ROLE pr, PARTY_ROLE_TYPE prt";
$orgSQL .= " where o.ORGANIZATIONOID = pr.SubjectPartyOID and";
$orgSQL .= " pr.PartyRoleTypeOID = prt.PartyRoleTypeOID and prt.ShortName =
'NSP' and";
$orgSQL .= " pr.StartDate <= sysdate and (pr.EndDate is null or pr.EndDate >
sysdate)";
$orgSQL .= " order by FULLNAME";
my $rs = $dbconn->query(Sql=>$orgSQL, UseCursor=>0);
if ($rs)
{
while ($rs->next())
{
my $fullname = $rs->FULLNAME; ## get the value from therecordset
print "Fullname: ", $fullname,"<BR>\n"; ## output the value
}
$dbconn->finish($rs);
}
What is odd is that if I run this as a cgi (or from the command line), I
get this output:
Fullname: AT&T
Fullname: Agis
Fullname: At Home
Fullname: C&W
Fullname: CW/IDC
Fullname: Digex
Fullname: EBONE
...
However, the exact same code run as an Apache::ASP page results in this
output (on netscape for linux 4.76).
Fullname:
Fullname:
Fullname:
Fullname:
Fullname:
Fullname:
...
On IE, however, I get this as output (viewed as source):
Fullname: A T & T
Fullname: A g i s
Fullname: A t H o m e
Fullname: C & W
Fullname: C W / I D C
Fullname: D i g e x
Fullname: E B O N E
...
This implies that the 8-bit characters are being rendered/dealt with
*differently* for the cgi version and the Apache::ASP version (and that
the Apache::ASP version honks up the 8-bit characters somehow). IE seems
to deal with the odd characters better than netscape.
In order to address this problem, Ive tried all the standard approaches to
dealing with 8bit characters and Oracle databases (setting NLS_LANG, etc)
and have tried using Convert::Translit module to do the conversion..
However, none of those actions seem to make any difference. I still get
wonky output with the mod_perl/Apache::ASP version (but not the normal
Perl/cgi version).
What I am wondering is:
(1) is there a known problem with mod_perl and 8-bit character
sets? The version of apache I am running is 1.3.19 and mod perl 1.25, and
Apache 2.09.
(2) Is there any problem with this from the Apache::ASP side in either the
way the Response->Write is done or the way in which these character sets
are handled? Ive looked at the Response->Write and Response->WriteRef but
dont see anything obvious that could cause this.
(3) Has anyone seen this kind of behavior before?
Any help would be appreciated (it will beat having to export and re-import
the production database)...
Carl
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Carl Lipo EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
IT Systems Architect PAGER: 206.570.2086
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