Use with Multibyte Environments

About codePageOverride Property of BEA WebLogic Type4 JDBC Driver for Oracle

In WebLogic Server 8.1 SP5 and WebLogic Server 9.0 or later, the default character code mapping when the setting of codePageOverride property is omitted will be changed.

Up to WebLogic Server 8.1 SP4, when codePageOverride property was not specified, a proprietary mapping had been used for the character code conversion between Java and Oracle JA16SJIS/JA16SJISTILDE/JA16SJISYEN databases. However, from WebLogic Server 8.1 SP5 and WebLogic Server 9.0, the mapping in this situation is changed to the same mapping as Oracle Thin Driver.

If an earlier version of the WebLogic Type4 JDBC Driver for Oracle (such versions as the one bundled with WebLogic Server 8.1 SP3/SP4) is used, and codePageOverride property is not specified, there may be some character codes which are mapped differently after upgrading.

Figure 1. How to check the version of WebLogic Type4 JDBC Driver

Connection conn = getConnection();
 DatabaseMetaData dmd = conn.getMetaData();
 System.out.println("JDBC Driver Name is " + dmd.getDriverName());
 System.out.println("JDBC Driver Version is " + dmd.getDriverVersion());

When Using WebLogic Type4 JDBC Driver (3.3.44*) Bundled with WLS 8.1 SP3

Character Code Conversion from Unicode to JA16SJIS

If you are using the database with JA16SJIS encoding, in 3.3.44 (SP3), the characters that could not be handled by Java SJIS encoding were not converted to JA16SJIS. In 3.40.57 and later (WLS 8.1 SP5 and WLS 9.0 and later), the characters will be converted to the same positions as Oracle Thin Driver.

Character Code Conversion from JA16SJIS to Unicode

If you are using the database with JA16SJIS encoding, in 3.3.44 (SP3), the characters that could not be handled by Java SJIS encoding were not converted to Unicode. Furthermore, the characters on Table 1 were converted to the same positions as SJIS converter. In 3.40.19 (SP4) or later, the conversion will result in the same position as Oracle Thin Driver (see Table 2).

Table 1. Characters with multiple mappings

		JA16SJIS	SJIS converter	MS932 converter
Horizontal Bar	\	0x815c	U+2014	U+2015
Wave Dash (Tilde)	`	0x8160	U+301c	U+ff5e
Double Vertical Line	a	0x8161	U+2016	U+2225
Minus Sign	\|	0x817c	U+2212	U+ff0d
Cent Sign	‘	0x8191	U+00a2	U+ffe0
Pond Sign	’	0x8192	U+00a3	U+ffe1
Not Sign	Ê	0x81ca	U+00ac	U+ffe2

Table 2. Difference between 3.3.44 and 3.40.19 (or later) in mapping when converting from JA16SJIS to Unicode

		JA16SJIS	3.3.44	3.40.19 or later
Horizontal Bar	\	0x815c	U+2014	U+2015
Wave Dash (Tilde)**	`	0x8160	U+301c	U+301c
Double Vertical Line	a	0x8161	U+2016	U+2225
Minus Sign	\|	0x817c	U+2212	U+ff0d
Cent Sign	‘	0x8191	U+00a2	U+ffe0
Pond Sign	’	0x8192	U+00a3	U+ffe1
Not Sign	Ê	0x81ca	U+00ac	U+ffe2

**There is no change in mapping for Wave Dash between 3.3.44 and 3.40.19 or later

Notes on Driver Version Upgrading from 3.3.44 (SP3) to 3.40.57 or later (WLS 8.1 SP5 and WLS 9.0 or later)

If you are using the database with JA16SJIS encoding, in 3.3.44 (SP3), the default behavior of codePageOverride property was to use the JDK SJIS converter mapping for the conversion of the characters in Table 1. However, in 3.40.19 (SP4) and later, the conversion is changed to use the same mapping as JDK MS932 converter (see Table 2). When an application of SP3 without specifying codePageOverride property is upgraded to 3.40.19 or later, you can maintain the compatibility by specifying codePageOverride=SJIS.
When the database is JA16SJISTILDE, there are no special notes, since there is no change of mapping between SP3 (3.3.44) and 3.40.57 or later (WLS 8.1 SP5 and WLS 9.0 or later).
When the database is JA16SJISYEN, there is basically no change in mapping between 3.3.44(SP3) and 3.40.57 or later (WLS 8.1 SP5 and WLS 9.0 or later); however, since there is one known problem about 3.40.57 relating to mapping, you should contact our Customer Support.

*See Figure 1 “How to check the version of WebLogic Type4 JDBC Driver” for checking the version of the driver.

When Using WebLogic Type4 JDBC Driver (3.40.19) Bundled with WLS 8.1 SP4

Character Code Conversion from Unicode to JA16SJIS

In 3.40.19 (SP4), if the database was JA16SJIS or JA16SJISTILDE, the characters that could not be handled by Java SJIS encoding were not converted to JA16SJIS. In 3.40.57 and later (WLS 8.1 SP5 and WLS 9.0 and later), the characters will be converted to the same positions as Oracle Thin Driver.

Character Code Conversion from JA16SJIS to Unicode

In 3.40.19 (SP4), if the database was JA16SJIS or JA16SJISTILDE, the characters that could not be handled by Java SJIS encoding were not converted to Unicode. In 3.40.57 and later (WLS 8.1 SP5 and WLS 9.0 and later), the characters will be converted to the same positions as Oracle Thin Driver.

Notes on Driver Version Upgrading from 3.40.19 (SP4) to 3.40.57 or later (WLS 8.1 SP5 and WLS 9.0 or later)

There are no special notes for when the database is JA16SJIS or JA16SJISTILDE, as the only thing is that the characters which could not be converted in 3.40.19 (SP4) can be converted in 3.40.57 or later (WLS 8.1 SP5 and WLS 9.0 or later).
Notes for when the database is JA16SJISYEN, is basically the same for JA16SJIS and JA16SJISTILDE, however, since there is one known problem in 3.40.57 relating to mapping, you should contact our Customer Support.

When Using WebLogic Type4 JDBC Driver with The Version Not Bundled to SP (other than 3.3.44/3.40.19)

When you need to upgrade an application, which codePageOverride property is not specified for, to 3.40.57 or later (WLS 8.1 SP5 and WLS 9.0 or later), you should contact our Customer Support. We are prepared to provide you with the detailed information on the mapping change for your version.