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 don't know if this is only in the recent versions, but right clicking on the Tables option in the Navigator pane pops up an option called Search Table Data. This opens up a search box where you fill in the search string and hit search.

You do need to select the table you want to search in on the left pane. But if you hold down shift and select like 10 tables at a time, MySql can handle that and return results in seconds.

For anyone that is looking for better options! :)

Answer 2

I used Union to string together queries. Don't know if it's the most efficient way, but it works.

SELECT * FROM table1 WHERE name LIKE '%Bob%' Union
SELCET * FROM table2 WHERE name LIKE '%Bob%';

Answer 3

This solution
a) is only MySQL, no other language needed, and
b) returns SQL results, ready for processing!

#Search multiple database tables and/or columns
#Version 0.1 - JK 2014-01
#USAGE: 1. set the search term @search, 2. set the scope by adapting the WHERE clause of the `information_schema`.`columns` query
#NOTE: This is a usage example and might be advanced by setting the scope through a variable, putting it all in a function, and so on...

#define the search term here (using rules for the LIKE command, e.g % as a wildcard)
SET @search = '%needle%';

#settings
SET SESSION group_concat_max_len := @@max_allowed_packet;

#ini variable
SET @sql = NULL;

#query for prepared statement
SELECT
    GROUP_CONCAT("SELECT '",`TABLE_NAME`,"' AS `table`, '",`COLUMN_NAME`,"' AS `column`, `",`COLUMN_NAME`,"` AS `value` FROM `",TABLE_NAME,"` WHERE `",COLUMN_NAME,"` LIKE '",@search,"'" SEPARATOR "\nUNION\n") AS col
INTO @sql
FROM `information_schema`.`columns`
WHERE TABLE_NAME IN
(
    SELECT TABLE_NAME FROM `information_schema`.`columns`
    WHERE
        TABLE_SCHEMA IN ("my_database")
        && TABLE_NAME IN ("my_table1", "my_table2") || TABLE_NAME LIKE "my_prefix_%"
);

#prepare and execute the statement
PREPARE stmt FROM @sql;
EXECUTE stmt;
DEALLOCATE PREPARE stmt;

Answer 4

Here is my solution for this

DROP PROCEDURE IF EXISTS findAll;
CREATE PROCEDURE `findAll`( IN `tableName` VARCHAR( 28 ) , IN `search` TEXT )
BEGIN
       DECLARE finished INT DEFAULT FALSE ;
       DECLARE columnName VARCHAR ( 28 ) ;
       DECLARE stmtFields TEXT ;
       DECLARE columnNames CURSOR FOR
              SELECT DISTINCT `COLUMN_NAME` FROM `information_schema`.`COLUMNS`
              WHERE `TABLE_NAME` = tableName ORDER BY `ORDINAL_POSITION` ;
       DECLARE CONTINUE HANDLER FOR NOT FOUND SET finished = TRUE;
       SET stmtFields = '' ;
       OPEN columnNames ;
       readColumns: LOOP
              FETCH columnNames INTO columnName ;
              IF finished THEN
                     LEAVE readColumns ;
              END IF;
              SET stmtFields = CONCAT(
                     stmtFields , IF ( LENGTH( stmtFields ) > 0 , ' OR' , ''  ) ,
                     ' `', tableName ,'`.`' , columnName , '` REGEXP "' , search , '"'
              ) ;
       END LOOP;
       SET @stmtQuery := CONCAT ( 'SELECT * FROM `' , tableName , '` WHERE ' , stmtFields ) ;
       PREPARE stmt FROM @stmtQuery ;
       EXECUTE stmt ;
       CLOSE columnNames ;
END;

Answer 5

I am use HeidiSQL is a useful and reliable tool designed for web developers using the popular MySQL server.

In HeidiSQL you can push shift + ctrl + f and you can find text on the server in all tables. This option is very usefully.

Answer 6

PHP function:

function searchAllDB($search){
    global $mysqli;

    $out = "";

    $sql = "show tables";
    $rs = $mysqli->query($sql);
    if($rs->num_rows > 0){
        while($r = $rs->fetch_array()){
            $table = $r[0];
            $out .= $table.";";
            $sql_search = "select * from ".$table." where ";
            $sql_search_fields = Array();
            $sql2 = "SHOW COLUMNS FROM ".$table;
            $rs2 = $mysqli->query($sql2);
            if($rs2->num_rows > 0){
                while($r2 = $rs2->fetch_array()){
                    $column = $r2[0];
                    $sql_search_fields[] = $column." like('%".$search."%')";
                }
                $rs2->close();
            }
            $sql_search .= implode(" OR ", $sql_search_fields);
            $rs3 = $mysqli->query($sql_search);
            $out .= $rs3->num_rows."\n";
            if($rs3->num_rows > 0){
                $rs3->close();
            }
        }
        $rs->close();
    }

    return $out;
}