Problem with german umlauts after upgrade to 3.9.1

Are you using the German language WordPress pack?

I think so … I’ve installed the upgrade package via the Dashboard. It states “WordPress 3.9.1-de_DE” which URL points to here

What happens if you temporarily switch to the default US language pack?

Hi esmi!

I’ve switched to the US version of wordpress via the Dashboard automatic update installer. But … the problem persists.

What I don’t understand: in 3.8.3 everything works fine. In 3.9.1 (and 3.9) the german umlauts are driving me nuts.

But hold: I’ve checked a few posts of mine … and there the german umlauts are correctly displayed. Only if I use a umlaut in an table … then the issue occurs.

Might this be a fault caused by the theme I use? This can’t be … i’ve tried it right now and the problem occurs also in them twenty fourteen.

Any further suggestions?

Thanks for your support!

Only if I use a umlaut in an table … then the issue occurs.

Are you pasting in the markup & content for this table?

The content for this table is filled by the CFDB plugin. I’ve build a form with Contact Form 7. My user fills in his data and it is saved in the wordpress database in his own table by the CFDB plugin.

If I open up the table of CFDB via phpMyAdmin I’m able to see all entries correct (with the correct umlaut displayed). Also in the email which is send by contact form 7 the umlaut is displayed properly (no html code or mystic signs).

With 3.8.3 everything works fine. And the table which shows all entries in the CFDB plugin table has shown the correct umlauts. After the upgrade to 3.9.1 it shows absolutely nothing in the table field where it formerly was.

Perhaps you need to raise this issue with the developers of the CFDB plugin?

I’ve discussed this issue with the plugin developer of the CFDB plugin just before I have posted my question today here.

He made some suggestions but none of them helped. Another user has also this problem with french special characters … also after the upgrade to 3.9.1.

The last answer of the plugin developer mentions that he has tested the plugin without any errors and that he can’t reproduce our problems. So I’ve thought the best way might be to ask here.

If you want to have a look at the discussion with the plugin developer: here is the post

From what you have described, the issue is specific to this plugin and has nothing to do with WordPress core. So there’s nothing we can really help with ??

Ok. Thanks for your support, esmi.

I will discuss the problem again with the plugin developer. It he can’t locate the cause of this issue than I’m going to stay at 3.8.3.

Thanks again! Keep up the good work. I appreciate your help very much.

I’m going to stay at 3.8.3.

I would strongly recommend that you do not do that. It’s the single fastest way to get your site hacked. See https://blog.sucuri.net/2012/03/wordpress-understanding-its-true-vulnerability.html

I know, esmi. I wouldn’t sleep well if I have to stay at 3.8.3.

Maybe the plugin author will find a cause of my problem or I’m going to find the needle in my haystack. ??

I’ll remember your recommendation and will try to solve my problem as fast as possible so that I’m able to upgrade to the latest version.

Thanks!

I’ve searched through the code of the plugin and found a possible cause of my problem: might this problem with german umlauts occur because of the use of mysql_*() functions in the plugin??? As I’ve learned from this blog post every plugin developer is advised to use wdpb functions instead of mysql_*() functions.

This issue is driving me nuts. And I do not really know if its a problem caused by a routine in the plugin or by a change in the core of wordpress. I will post this text hier also in the wordpress support forums of the cfdb plugin. But maybe you can find the solution faster?! I really appreciate your help!

Please have a look at these JPGs I’ve uploaded to my webspace.

1. With Version 3.8.3 my PhpMyAdmin shows this about collation of the cfdb table: latin1_swedish_ci.

2. I query my example data with Version 3.8.3 and the result looks like that.

3. I’ve added some code on line 234 of the file CFDBQueryResultIterator.php to show the data of the mysql query which gets the data out of my mysql-database into the shortcode I use to display the data:

echo '<pre>';
		echo print_r($this->row); //debug CFDBQueryResultIterator.php Zeile 235
		echo '</pre>';

The results are shown in this image.

4. I then use the [cfdb-datatable] shortcode to show the data on my page. The Table looks like that.

5. I’ve made a separate page to show the details of the entry. A part of this page also shows the correct german umlauts. Have a look her.

6. After the submit of the data I’ve shown above I’ve received a email from my system which I show here.

7. The admin page of the cfdb plugin looks like that.

As you can see … in WordPress Version 3.8.3 everything looks nice and german umlauts are properly displayed.

Now the weird part takes place. I’ve upgraded to WordPress 3.9.1 via the WordPress Dashboard auto update function. After that I’ve upgraded nothing else.

1. Database Collation shown by PhpMyAdmin.

2. Detail of the database entry shown by PhpMyAdmin.

3. Array echoed by print_r. There the issue occurs!.

4. Output of the shortcode on my page.

5. Output of my detail page.

6. Same email like before with Version 3.8.3.. The issue occurs with old and new entries!

7. Output of the admin page of the cfdb plugin.

After upgrade to WordPress 3.9.1. the german umlauts are shown with those questionmarks. Regardless if I use the unbuffered or the buffered output (a feature of the cfdb plugin to display a big amount of data and preventing the plugin from getting a timeout).