Hi,

working on a new project between France and North-Africa, I'll need arabics collations on certain columns in many tables (the rest of database will be in french_ci_as, or french_ci_ai).

I know I can specifiy it in a post-deployement script, but this implies to create index likewise (alter column ... collate my_collation is forbidden if an index uses this column)

Is there another workaround ? (or a plan inside SF team dreams to add/modify column collation )

Thanks in advance

This is the first time it has come up. We will add this to the list of future enhancements. But there are several more pressing things ahead of it. I am not sure what you are trying to accomplish overall, but is this something that you can do outside of a collation? For example, using NVARCHAR fields and take a unicode approach? It may not meet your needs, I am just trying to understand your current issue.

Trent,

I understand, this enhancement is certainly not the most important for all SF community.

I really need a specific collation (arabic) on some columns, though the tables will be in a French collation. These fields will be in NCHAR for unicode use, because I need good indices on these fields (few millions of rows per each table)
for example, a Person table will store name CHAR (30) in french script and arabic_name NCHAR(60) in arabic script, and user should ask for an ORDER BY french or by arabic.
In many SP, I'll use select ... where arabic_name ...
That's why specific collation is mandatory.

But I don't think that these structures will be modified, once defined. I've tried to deploy DDT packages on such a database (one column in one table with an arabic_collation), and I can modify all but that column. That's OK for me today (most important is to understand how to do with browsedialog in french AND arabic , I'll ask you later)

Gotcha. That makes sense. This is something that we would have to change to provide a certain collation on a per column basis. Like I said, we will add this to the list as the DDT is getting some pretty nice upgrades and as we move forward I want to continue to accommodate all needs in this area. So it will make it in, just don't know exactly when. I have just added this post to the "to-do" list.