Can I Import an updated structure into a MySQL table without losing its current content?

Question

We use MySQL tables to which we add new fields from time to time as our product evolves. I\'m looking for a way to export the structure of the table from one copy of the db, to

Answer 1

There is a handy way of doing this but need a little bit editing in a text editor : This takes about Max 10Min in Gedit Under Linux !!

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Export you table & save it in : localTable.sql

Open it in a text edior (Gedit) You will see something like this :

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `localTable` (
  `id` int(8) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `date` int(10) NOT NULL,
    # Lot more Fields .....
    #Other Fields Here

After Just Remove :

• Anything after the closing ) parenthese
• CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS localTable (
• Change all , to ; in each line like thats you execute all this once (,\n to ;\n)
• remove all ADDPRIMARY KEY (id);ADDKEY created_by (created_by) !
• And just Keep Fields you are interested in

You will have this

  `id` int(8) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `date` int(10) NOT NULL,
    # Lot more Fields .....
    #Other Fields Here

Add to the begining of each line ALTER TABLE localTable ADD

 ALTER TABLE `localTable` ADD `id` int(8) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
 ALTER TABLE `localTable` ADD  `date` int(10) NOT NULL,
   ALTER TABLE `localTable` ADD #to each more Fields .....
    #Other Fields Here

That's it we can make this ab Automated Script by adding a Shell Script to do this job .

After you know what you have to do Import it in the 'remoteTable' ;)

Thanks