I want to set the MySQL database connection to use utf8 encoding. So I
overide the App_Model constructor like this:

class AppModel extends Model {
 function __construct()
  {
    $this->execute("Set NAMES 'UTF8'");
    parent::__construct();
  }

And then I got this error:
Fatal error: Call to a member function fetchAll() on a non-object in
D:\php-5.0.4-Win32\PHP_Script\PHP_CAKE\cake\libs\model\model_php5.php
on line 1143

But I add the execute statment in the other member function will be ok.
I think there is some object (maybe the database connection) hasn't
been created when the __construct() execute. Am I right? And How can I
slove this problem?

You're calling the method before the database connection has been
established.  Try this instead:

  function __construct()
  {
    parent::__construct();
    $this->execute("Set NAMES 'UTF8'");
  }

nate :

It works! Thanks!

hi nate,
right. this works but then a little problem occured:
all models (which extends AppModel) have not been loaded correctly
anymore.

the following changes solved the problem for me:

function __construct($id=false, $table=null, $ds=null) {
    parent::__construct($id, $table, $ds);
    $this->execute( "Set NAMES 'UTF8'" );

matthias

Oh, I use the default parameters in all the Model , so there is no side
effects to me. I think matsch's mothod is more stable.