mysql system command

Question

I am in MySQL and would like to change the current working directory. I tried to execute:

mysql> system cd './my_dir'

However, this does not seem to work. Has anyone run into a similar problem?

Answer 1

System is going to spawn a child process to run a shell command.....

Current working directory is a process level property....so you can't change it in the parent from a child process. That's why it doesn't work.

I briefly scanned the MySQL docs at http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/mysql-commands.html but didn't see a direct CD command that changes the working directory. I think an adventurous person could write one....

Answer 2

If you want to change your current working directory for a script, then use the && between the CD and script so it will change directory and then if that's successful it will execute the second command.

mysql> SYSTEM cd /home && ls

Answer 3

What you're looking for is the escape to shell command: \!

mysql>\! cd ./my_dir

You can even use it to escape to the shell completely and then come back to the mysql environment.

mysql>\! bash
bash>cd ./my_dir
bash>exit
mysql>SELECT * ALL FROM <table>;