Description:
After updating the MySQL Connector/ODBC driver from version 8.4.0 to 9.2.0, I encountered an issue with Arabic font rendering in Crystal Reports for a VB.NET 2022 application. The Arabic text, which previously displayed correctly, now appears garbled or incorrectly formatted shows like that "????".
Additional Information:
The issue did not occur with MySQL Connector/ODBC version 8.4.0.
The problem persists even after updating both NuGet packages and the ODBC driver.
The system's regional settings are configured to support Arabic.
The database and tables are set to use utf8 or utf8mb4 character sets.
Please investigate this issue and provide a solution or workaround.
How to repeat:
Install MySQL Connector/ODBC 9.2.0:
Download and install the MySQL Connector/ODBC 9.2.0 driver from the official MySQL website.
Set Up ODBC Data Source:
Configure an ODBC data source using the new driver, ensuring it connects to a MySQL database that contains Arabic text.
Open VB.NET 2022 Project:
Open a VB.NET 2022 project that uses Crystal Reports to generate reports.
Update NuGet Packages:
Ensure all relevant NuGet packages are updated to their latest versions.
Generate Crystal Report:
Create or open a Crystal Report that includes Arabic text from the MySQL database.
Observe the Report:
Run the application and generate the report. Observe the rendering of the Arabic text in the Crystal Report.
Expected Result: Arabic text should display correctly in the Crystal Report.
Actual Result: Arabic text appears garbled or incorrectly formatted.
Suggested fix:
Investigate Character Set Handling: Review and adjust the character set handling in the MySQL Connector/ODBC 9.2.0 driver to ensure it supports Arabic text correctly. This might involve ensuring that the charset parameter is set to utf8 or utf8mb4.
Revert Changes: If the issue is related to recent changes in the driver, consider reverting those changes or providing an option to use the previous character set handling method.
Provide a Patch: Release a patch or update for the MySQL Connector/ODBC 9.2.0 driver that addresses the Arabic font rendering issue in Crystal Reports.
Documentation Update: Update the documentation to include any necessary configuration steps or settings required to support Arabic text with the new driver version.
