Error 1115 (42000): Unknown character set: 'utf8mb4'
You're seeing ERROR 1115 (42000): Unknown character set: 'utf8mb4' because your MySQL version is pre-5.5.3, and it doesn't understand utf8mb4. To fix it, you have two options:
-
Upgrade your MySQL to 5.5.3 or later to enable
utf8mb4support, (the recommended solution).or
-
In case upgrading isn't a viable option, switch to the
utf8character set, which has broader compatibility across all versions:Substitute
mydbwith your actual database's name.
Squeeze out 'utf8mb4' from SQL dump
When system upgrade is impossible due to legacy constraints, the quickest solution is to alter the SQL dump manually.
-
Using a text editor open your
.sqlfile. VBox will do! -
Search for all instances of
utf8mb4and replace them withutf8. Ctrl+H is a programmer's best friend 🚀. -
Alter the
character_set_clientsetting, if present, toutf8.
Cross-version Compatibility for Export
Note that when exporting data using mysqldump, the --compatible=mysql40 option ensures backward compatibility. Highly recommended when dealing with older MySQL versions.
Protect your Data
Downgrading from utf8mb4 to utf8 might cause data loss affecting the latest emojis. Those characters will either disappear or transform incomprehensibly. Always create a backup before playing 'data surgeon'!
Version Compatibility using PHPMyAdmin
When using PHPMyAdmin, check your server version and ensure it meets the requirements for utf8mb4. The platform also allows exports with parameters configured for compatibility.
Safe-guard for Shared Databases
When working on a shared server, set character_set_server to utf8 to standardize character sets and prevent conflicts. This practice is a life-saver in environments where clients might support different character sets.
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