1. To get currently used character set, issue:
SELECT * FROM nls_database_parameters WHERE parameter LIKE ‘%CHARACTERSET%’.
nls_database_parameters is a view.
2. Check and update, for example, to set nls_characterset = UTF8,nls_nchar_characterset = UTF8, use table props$:
UPDATE props$ SET value$ = ‘UTF8′ WHERE NAME LIKE ‘%CHARACTERSET%;
commit;
There you go…
Minh Tran
Posted by gunther vermeir on July 29, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Kindly do not do this very wrong update. seen Note 225912.1 on metalink
I quote: “There are still “dba’s” out there who try to change the NLS_CHARACTERSET or NLS_NCHAR_CHARACTERSET by updating props$ . This is NOT supported and WILL corrupt your database. This is one of the best way’s to destroy a complete dataset. Oracle Support will TRY to help you out of this but Oracle will NOT warrant that the data can be recoverd or recovered data is correct. You WILL be asked to do a FULL export and a complete rebuild of the database.
Please, do NOT update props$.”