ensure returned value is not encoded

django_crypto_fields/field_cryptor.py

@@ -177,7 +177,12 @@ def get_prep_value(self, value):
         if value is None or value in ['', b'']:
             return value
         ciphertext = self.encrypt(value)
-        return ciphertext.split(CIPHER_PREFIX.encode(ENCODING))[0]
+        value = ciphertext.split(CIPHER_PREFIX.encode(ENCODING))[0]
+        try:
+            value.decode()
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
+        return value  # returns into CharField
 
     def get_hash(self, ciphertext):
         """Returns the hashed_value given a ciphertext or None."""

django_crypto_fields/settings.py

@@ -80,10 +80,22 @@
 # Database
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.8/ref/settings/#databases
 
+# DATABASES = {
+#     'default': {
+#         'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.sqlite3',
+#         'NAME': os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'db.sqlite3'),
+#     }
+# }
+
 DATABASES = {
     'default': {
-        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.sqlite3',
-        'NAME': os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'db.sqlite3'),
+        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.mysql',
+        'OPTIONS': {
+            'read_default_file': os.path.join(BASE_DIR.ancestor(1), 'etc', 'default.cnf'),
+        },
+        'HOST': '',
+        'PORT': '',
+        'ATOMIC_REQUESTS': True,
     }
 }
 

etc/default.cnf

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# my.cnf
+# Be sure to create the database with CHARACTER SET = utf8
+# e.g. create database edc CHARACTER SET utf8;
+[client]
+database = edc
+user = root
+password = cc3721b
+default-character-set = utf8
+init_command = 'SET default_storage_engine=INNODB;'