MySQL Connector does not work with SQLAlchemy and Python 2.6

[Ute Arbeit]

Connecting to a MySQL database using SQLAlchemy 0.6.6 / MySQL Connector 0.3.2 / Python 2.6 raises the exception
'MySQLConnection' object has no attribute 'get_characterset_info'

In the python2 branch the method 'get_characterset_info' is not defined on MySQLConnection in connection.py like it exists in the python3 branch. Instead a method 'get_charset' is defined.

With a quick and dirty fix by defining the method on the MySQLConnection object

    """
    Fix to work with SQLAlchemy 0.6.6
    """
    def get_characterset_info(self):
        return self.get_charset()

the connector works for me now.

[Eric Ongerth (ericongerth)]

Confirmed same problem but with Python 2.7, found the same fix myself before seeing this ticket.

[Geert JM Vanderkelen (geertjmvdk)]

The above is nice fix for MySQL Connector/Python, but eventually SQLAlchemy has to use MySQLConnection.charset.
Those things happen in development release and no much time to work on things..

[Mike Bayer (zzzeek)]

Hi Geert -

Did you make a backwards incompat change to the DBAPI ? Feel free to send SQLA a patch that supports the driver in the way you see fit... or perhaps leaving the previous method available for backwards compatibility with the code we got from you originally (the dialect was yours originally is that correct ? I can't find the original ticket...).

[Geert JM Vanderkelen (geertjmvdk)]

Yes, I should learn to keep stuff backward compatible.
It's good to use the charset-property, but we will leave the get_characterset_info() in.

I think I should give the SQLAlchemy dialect a checkup. I've got a patch somewhere. But I didn't write the original dialect, as far as I can remember :)

Cheers,
Geert