Replication Server supports three Unicode datatypes, unichar, univarchar, and unitext. Unicode allows you to mix languages from different language groups in the same data server.
The Unicode datatypes behave exactly like their equivalent Replication Server datatypes. See “Character datatypes” for more information.
unichar –> char
univarchar –> varchar
unitext –> text
The Unicode datatypes share the syntax and semantics of their equivalent datatypes, except Unicode values are always stored in UTF-16, regardless of the Replication Server default character set. unichar is a fixed-width, non-nullable datatype. univarchar is a variable-width, nullable datatype. unitext is variable-width, nullable datatype.
You can:
Replicate unichar, univarchar, and unitext columns to replicate and standby databases
Use unichar and univarchar columns in the primary key of a replication definition
Use unichar and univarchar columns as searchable columns in a replication definition and in the where clauses of associated subscriptions and articles
Use unichar and univarchar columns as searchable columns in a function replication definition and in the where clauses of associated subscriptions and articles
Use unichar, univarchar, and unitext columns when replicating to or from heterogeneous data servers
In the same way as text:
unitext columns cannot be part of the primary key in the replication definition.
unitext columns cannot be specified as searchable columns in a replication definition.
unitext columns cannot be specified as searchable columns in a function replication definition.
unitext datatype cannot be used as a base datatype or a datatype definition or as a source or target of either a column-level or class-level translation.
Replication Server supports Unicode data even when the Replication Server default character set is not UTF-8. For example, Replication Server supports a scenario in which the default character set of the primary and replicate databases is UTF-8, and the Replication Server default character set is ISO-1. However, unichar and univarchar uses where clause in their subscription and such a scenario may restrict the use of non-ASCII characters in the subscription’s where clause.
