A small heads-up.
Due to some bugs in MySQL and how it handles Unicode, we just worked out that MySQL 4.1.16 is the minimum version we can use for Moodle 1.6.
It's very unfortunate because it means many web hosting servers will not be able to run Moodle 1.6 for a while, and will need to stay on the 1.5 branch. However this migration to Unicode is essential for the future of Moodle. Eloy's already written some excellent environment-checking code that tells you what you have and what you need for any upgrade.
Those of you helping in the Unicode testing may want to upgrade your testing sites now, and others may want to think about upgrading production servers for the future.
I've just checked with my webhost, and received a fairly positive reply about them (see below), but I'm slightly worried about the comments about CPanel (I'm gussing a number of Moodlers have/use CPanel on their servers)...
"At this time we do not have a date for this upgrade however upgrades to MySQL are something being looked into. At this time the cPanel control panel does not support MySQL 4.1.16 either so we will first need to wait for them to adopt that version before evaluating this upgrade."
"At this time we do not have a date for this upgrade however upgrades to MySQL are something being looked into. At this time the cPanel control panel does not support MySQL 4.1.16 either so we will first need to wait for them to adopt that version before evaluating this upgrade."
Martin,
Do you have some indication of the mysql bug that was fixed in 4.1.16 to resolve this Unicode issue? Looking at the MySQL changelog, it isn't obvious which bug is responsible. I'm asking since Ubuntu Breezy is still on 4.1.12, and Dapper only currently has 4.1.15 (which will mean Ubuntu users being excluded until at least October this year, when the next iteration of Ubuntu will be released). Maybe a backport fix for this bug would be possible...
Alternatively, do you know whether this has been fixed in 5.0? Dapper will release with at least 5.0.18, with 5.0 being the default (over 4.1), which could be another option.
PS: The mysql412forlatin is not present in the language files during a HEAD install.
Do you have some indication of the mysql bug that was fixed in 4.1.16 to resolve this Unicode issue? Looking at the MySQL changelog, it isn't obvious which bug is responsible. I'm asking since Ubuntu Breezy is still on 4.1.12, and Dapper only currently has 4.1.15 (which will mean Ubuntu users being excluded until at least October this year, when the next iteration of Ubuntu will be released). Maybe a backport fix for this bug would be possible...
Alternatively, do you know whether this has been fixed in 5.0? Dapper will release with at least 5.0.18, with 5.0 being the default (over 4.1), which could be another option.
PS: The mysql412forlatin is not present in the language files during a HEAD install.
Actually, if you are using latin text only then 4.1.12 is the minimum and OK to use (that's what the message there will say). The problem is non-latin text which can get corrupted during the Unicode conversions in MySQL.
We don't know the exact bug causing the difference, sorry. We know this difference only from real-world tests of different MySQL versions.
Cpanel latest is 4.1.14 currently, but that should probably change soon.
We don't know the exact bug causing the difference, sorry. We know this difference only from real-world tests of different MySQL versions.
Cpanel latest is 4.1.14 currently, but that should probably change soon.
Upgrading Moodle from 1.5.3 to 1.6 was quite easy, but this is the first time I had to upgrade MySql (I have installed vers 4.0 in a Linux server). I was looking for an upgrading download, but MySql offers only the full installation package. I have seen the instruction for MySql 5.0 installation and I not sure waht I had to do. will my tables loss in the installation process?, do I have to create a new "root" user for the MySql? could I rename the old Mysql folder, intall the new version and drop in it my Moodledatafolder and some config files or folders with mysql users etc. (which one)?
Could somebody write a simple mysql upgrading procedure for Dummies?
Could somebody write a simple mysql upgrading procedure for Dummies?
How the things are going with postgres? Are there any problems with installation/usage?
Hi Sebastian,
Postgres for 1.6 is doing good. I have created a bunch of clean up to synch postgresql with mysql and synch upgraded postgresql with clean install postgresql. We will commit the patches soon after some more testing. So if anyone have sanitized data from 1.5 stable we would gladly test it to make sure it upgrades well to 1.6
Postgres for 1.6 is doing good. I have created a bunch of clean up to synch postgresql with mysql and synch upgraded postgresql with clean install postgresql. We will commit the patches soon after some more testing. So if anyone have sanitized data from 1.5 stable we would gladly test it to make sure it upgrades well to 1.6
Thanks for the answer. That`s good news ;) I don`t like mysql ;)
Hi Sebastian,
For postgres stuff you may want to follow this thread
http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=45058
For postgres stuff you may want to follow this thread
http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=45058
My only small concern is that some of the common distros are running slightly older versions. This may be an issue if you are not 'rolling your own'.
For example, the current version of SuSE (10.0) has 4.1.13.
For example, the current version of SuSE (10.0) has 4.1.13.
Most linux distros have some sort of package updating wizard/program/repository. In debian it's APT, and in Fedora it's YUM. For all of you who don't have the 4.1.16 on your servers or test boxes, go ahead an update your packages. Not only does it give you newer packages, but some of those packages contain bugfixes and security patches. I strongly recommend updating packages on somewhat of a regular basis, if not for the new packages, for the security updates.
...sorry, should have said that SuSE is currently at 4.1.13 with all the latest updates. As 10.0 has been out for some time I guess it's doubtful they will go to the newer version, but this it probably won't matter as by the time 1.6 goes mainstream most of the distros will have been updated too.
Dear Martin,
This came as a 
to me, as I booked a domain yesterday only with Yahoo India, with MySQL version mentioned as 4.1 ( the minor upgrade no. was not given) .
I do not intend to use anything other than Latin characters. Is this upgrade still required ?
Moreover, this thread is very old, but I have installed the Moodle 1.18 on my website in the year 2008. So, how did that get installed ? Is there some bypass to this step ?
Regards
K T Upadhyaya