### IPS UTF8 Converter Read Me

# Welcome!

This utility will convert all the tables in your community database to UTF-8 without deleting or overwriting your existing data.

### Installing

Simply upload the directory `utf8convert` to your community root directory.

### How it works

The converter will create new tables with the prefix "x_utf_". The converter will read your existing data, convert it to UTF-8 and then save it into the "x_utf_" prefixed tables.

Once the data conversion has taken place, you can test the conversion by editing your `conf_global.php` file to alter the `sql_tbl_prefix` and to make sure that the `sql_charset` is set to `utf8`. The exact instructions for this are shown when the conversion has finished.

Once you are happy that the conversion is correct, you are prompted to finish the conversion. This will rename your existing database tables with the prefix "orig_" and the UTF-8 tables will be renamed to your existing prefix. You are then prompted again to edit your `conf_global.php` file to alter the `sql_tbl_prefix`.

You can then delete the "orig_" prefixed tables when you are happy that the conversion is complete and the original unconverted data is no longer required.

### Web or command line?

This converter is available with two interfaces. There is a web version that you can launch using the button below.
The preferred method is to use the command line version. If you have shell access with your hosting account, then please launch the shell converter interface by using `cd` to navigate to your community root and then run `php cli.php` and follow the onscreen prompts. If you are running from the Windows command prompt or your shell client does not support colors, then run `php cli.php --basic`.

### Getting Help

If you encounter any issues while using this converter, you can request support via the client center.
If you're using the command line version, please run `php cli.php --info`. If you're using the web version, please click on the "Tools" button at the top. This information will help us debug the issue. No sensitive data is ever revealed with this tool.

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