Apache Friends Support Forum

I installed XAMPP recently to test plugins and updates for my WP site.
The main website is already hosted with Icelandic host and is working perfectly.

The issue is as follows.

When using my localhost WP site - I can not see any pictures with Icelandic letters in the name. They work perfectly with my Icelandic host.
I guess this has something to do with either apache or mysql settings. But I've been unable to find solution for it.

I am using latest XAMPP
running windows 8.1 64 bit

deadalon wrote:I guess this has something to do with either apache or mysql settings.

I guess,that you are either wrong, neither apache nor mysql settings.

I guess this has something to do with the fact, that you are running a copy of the online site locally with a different server name (i.e. localhost) than the online site. How did you manage to run the application on two different servers, did you install both from scratch, or did you copy one to another (what does not work properly!)?

I tried to do a fresh install on xampp with WP 4.0. The same thing is going on there. It is probably not just the Icelandic letters causing it but any special characters that are in image name when it is uploaded. Spaces are ok but not characters like ð and Þ and ó á í and so on . Image names like aws32 sew98.jpeg is ok but aws32 seð98.jpeg are not showing on any site with my xampp server.

I found a plugin that changes any special characters into others that is accepted when picture is uploaded. But since my Icelandic host is able to keep those special letters in their images with no problems - I was hoping that some could find solution for me

The problem is the mismatch between filenames stored in MySQL Database and the physical filenames on the harddisk.

On WIndows / Linux etc. the filesystems are not using the same character sets, and therefore it fails to link the stored filename (in MySQL) to either Filesystem. This is always a very annoying and difficult problem to overcome, therefore it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED not to use special characters (like icelandic chars) in physical filenames.

If you want to build a portable website, you definately should not use these special characters in filenames.

Thanks for this answer Nobbie. Very much appreciated