Search text in fields in every table of a MySQL database

Question

I want to search in all fields from all tables of a MySQL database a given string, possibly using syntax as:

SELECT * FROM * WHERE * LIKE \'%stuff%\'
         


        

Answer 1

I built on a previous answer and have this, some extra padding just to be able to conveniently join all the output:

SELECT 
CONCAT('SELECT ''',A.TABLE_NAME, '-' ,A.COLUMN_NAME,''' FROM ', A.TABLE_SCHEMA, '.', A.TABLE_NAME, 
       ' WHERE ', A.COLUMN_NAME, ' LIKE \'%Value%\' UNION')
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS A
WHERE 
        A.TABLE_SCHEMA != 'mysql' 
AND     A.TABLE_SCHEMA != 'innodb' 
AND     A.TABLE_SCHEMA != 'performance_schema' 
AND     A.TABLE_SCHEMA != 'information_schema'
UNION SELECT 'SELECT '''

-- for exact match use: A.COLUMN_NAME, ' LIKE \'Value\' instead

First you run this, then paste in and run the result (no editing) and it will display all the table names and columns where the value is used.