http://datatables.net/forums/discussion/11871/datatable-couldn-t-search-unicode-characters

i saw this topic in the forum, i facing almost the same issue, but didn't saw the solution.

i'm using normal server side processing DataTable,

$('.dataTable').dataTable({
"processing": true,
"serverSide": true,
"ajax": {
"url": "...",
"type" : "POST",
"data": function ( d ) {
//external parameters...
}
},
"order" : [json_array]
});

the data return back will have unicode (chinese characters), when i want to use "Search" function (the top right textbox), if search english characters it works fine, if search Chinese characters, will return error says : General error: 1271 Illegal mix of collations for operation 'like'.

after checking, knows that the main Search function is searching all columns that display in DataTable and mysql couldn't search the unicode characters in non-varchar/text datatype columns.

anyway to let the search function work fine?