Index: moodlelib.php
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/moodle/moodle/lib/moodlelib.php,v
retrieving revision 1.960.2.24
diff -c -r1.960.2.24 moodlelib.php
*** moodlelib.php	1 Jan 2008 17:21:54 -0000	1.960.2.24
--- moodlelib.php	19 Jan 2008 23:02:07 -0000
***************
*** 5333,5352 ****
  /**
   * Returns a list of country names in the current language
   *
   * @uses $CFG
   * @uses $USER
   * @return array
   */
! function get_list_of_countries() {
      global $CFG, $USER;
  
      $lang = current_language();
  
!     if (!file_exists($CFG->dirroot .'/lang/'. $lang .'/countries.php') &&
!         !file_exists($CFG->dataroot.'/lang/'. $lang .'/countries.php')) {
          if ($parentlang = get_string('parentlanguage')) {
!             if (file_exists($CFG->dirroot .'/lang/'. $parentlang .'/countries.php') ||
!                 file_exists($CFG->dataroot.'/lang/'. $parentlang .'/countries.php')) {
                  $lang = $parentlang;
              } else {
                  $lang = 'en_utf8';  // countries.php must exist in this pack
--- 5333,5359 ----
  /**
   * Returns a list of country names in the current language
   *
+  * There are three possible locations of the list to use: 1) current language, 2) parent language, 3) en_utf8.
+  * The function uses an attempt counter to pick the lang pack containing the list. Please note,
+  * simple checking of the countries.php existence is not enough as the file might be empty (MDL-12465).
+  *
+  * @param int $attempt The first (default), second or third attempt to get the list
   * @uses $CFG
   * @uses $USER
   * @return array
   */
! function get_list_of_countries($attempt=1) {
      global $CFG, $USER;
  
      $lang = current_language();
  
!     if ($attempt > 1 || 
!         (!file_exists($CFG->dirroot .'/lang/'. $lang .'/countries.php') &&
!         !file_exists($CFG->dataroot.'/lang/'. $lang .'/countries.php'))) {
          if ($parentlang = get_string('parentlanguage')) {
!             if (($attempt == 2) &&
!                (file_exists($CFG->dirroot .'/lang/'. $parentlang .'/countries.php') ||
!                 file_exists($CFG->dataroot.'/lang/'. $parentlang .'/countries.php'))) {
                  $lang = $parentlang;
              } else {
                  $lang = 'en_utf8';  // countries.php must exist in this pack
***************
*** 5364,5369 ****
--- 5371,5378 ----
  
      if (!empty($string)) {
          asort($string);
+     } else if ($attempt < 3) {
+         return get_list_of_countries($attempt+1);
      }
  
      return $string;