missing product description on product pages

here is the story. so my site works fine. no problems. i had some guy work on it to do some stuff. for security reasons, i wanted to change the backend admin URL so he or no one else can access it except me

so i did that, the site works fine, changed the db user, passoword, changed the config's to match, etc. etc.

the only problem is NOW the product description text is all gone on the product pages. i mean it's still there in the admin side, you can go to a product, click edit and the info is there. it just doesn't show up on the front end anymore. did i miss changing info on a file some where with 1.54?

as soon as i reverted back the admin side url and changed the everything back the way it was, it is fine now. please see attached. Thank you.

Sounds like a character-set issue.

What collation is being used by your database (check the value in your configure.php files for the DB_CHARSET definition). Did the person performing the updates make modifications to the database?

What character set is being used for your store? Check the value for the CHARSET definition in your primary language file (e.g. /includes/languages/YOUR_TEMPLATE/english.php or, if that file doesn't exist, /includes/languages/english.php).

Here is what he wrote. Is what he did right or did he do a hack job. This was an upgrade from 1.39h

"Goto /includes/modules/pages/product_info/main_template_vars.php over there we have written plain PHP code for getting product name and description. You would find connection string is defined to connect to server in plain PHP code, so change that connection string of PHP whenever you shift site to new location. (as told earlier we need to write plain php code since description and name special characters were not supported in Zen-cart 1.5.4)."

So in this regards, something of a hack job... From the description though still salvageable by modifying the information in the identified file to match the new database password that you were trying to change.

The reason I state further something of a hack job is that it appears the admin side was fully capable of accessing this "special character" data without modification, but for some reason the store front side needed this special method of connection that if using ZC standard code would be unnecessary.

mc12345678:

So in this regards, something of a hack job... From the description though still salvageable by modifying the information in the identified file to match the new database password that you were trying to change.

The reason I state further something of a hack job is that it appears the admin side was fully capable of accessing this "special character" data without modification, but for some reason the store front side needed this special method of connection that if using ZC standard code would be unnecessary.

Here's a surprise for you.. I agree with you 100%. Hack job for sure, and almost certainly salvageable.

I'm somewhat concerned about "we have written plain PHP code for getting product name and description". I wonder WTF they mean??

Also, in regards to "You would find connection string is defined to connect to server in plain PHP code, so change that connection string of PHP whenever you shift site to new location". - This really doesn't sit well with me. Unless I'm misunderstanding what they are saying (have done), this is a HUGE security risk. It implies that the Database login credentials are wide open for public viewing. Eeek!!!!!!

I suggest the OP seek expert help to resolve both of these issues ASAP, if not sooner.

Cheers
RodG