Description:
------------
php_mysql.dll (or php_mysqli.dll) extension do not use the same configuration as MySQL.exe, so if you run the same query from both sides you will not get the same results.

I know I can use the following :

@@mysql_query("SET NAMES 'utf8'",$my);

on a fresh connection, but if the MySQL configuration changes I must have to change the php code as well.

Reproduce code:
---------------
PHP code :
$rec=@@mysql_query("show Variables LIKE 'c___a%_%'",$my);
while($row=mysql_fetch_assoc($rec)){
    foreach($row as $n=>$v){
        echo $v."\n";
    }
}

MySQL code ;
show Variables LIKE 'c___a%_%';

Expected result:
----------------
Mysql.exe results :
Variable_name               Value
character_set_client        utf8
character_set_connection    utf8
character_set_database      utf8
character_set_filesystem    binary
character_set_results       utf8
character_set_server        utf8
character_set_system        utf8
character_sets_dir          ...\share\charsets\
collation_connection        utf8_general_ci
collation_database          utf8_general_ci
collation_server            utf8_general_ci


Actual result:
--------------
php_mysql.dll results :
Variable_name               Value
character_set_client        latin1
character_set_connection    latin1
character_set_database      utf8
character_set_filesystem    binary
character_set_results       latin1
character_set_server        utf8
character_set_system        utf8
character_sets_dir          ...\share\charsets\
collation_connection        latin1_swedish_ci
collation_database          utf8_general_ci
collation_server            utf8_general_ci