Add / Import .SQL file To MySQL Database Server

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How do I import a MySQL .SQL text file to MySQL database sever using command line or gui tools?

You can import a MySQL script (or .sql) file into MySQL server using

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  1. Unix / Linux shell prompt.
  2. phpMyAdmin web based gui tool.

Unix / Linux shell prompt example

Copy a .sql file to a remote server using sftp or scp client:
$ scp foo.sql vivek@serer1.cyberciti.biz:~/
Login into a remote server using ssh client:
$ ssh vivek@server1.cyberciti.biz
Type the following command to import a .sql file:

mysql -u USERNAME -p -h localhost YOUR-DATA-BASE-NAME-HERE < YOUR-.SQL.FILE-NAME-HERE

In this example, import a ‘foo.sql’ file into ‘bar’ database using vivek as username:

mysql -u vivek -p -h localhost bar < foo.sql

phpMyAdmin

Login to phpMyAdmin. Open a web-browser and type phpMyAdmin url:
http://server1.cyberciti.biz/phpmyadmin/
In phpMyAdmin, choose the database you intend to work with from the database menu list (located on the left side).

phpMyAdmin Database Selection
Fig.01: phpMyAdmin Database Selection

Choose the IMPORT tab > Click on Browse your computer “Choose file” > Select file > Choose Ok > Choose Go

phpMyAdmin Importing .SQL File
Fig.02: phpMyAdmin Importing .SQL File

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Posted by: Vivek Gite

The author is the creator of nixCraft and a seasoned sysadmin, DevOps engineer, and a trainer for the Linux operating system/Unix shell scripting. Get the latest tutorials on SysAdmin, Linux/Unix and open source topics via RSS/XML feed or weekly email newsletter.

12 comment

  1. If you have a big database file. I recommend use always command line. Other solution zip your .sql file and improve your php.ini settings (Upload Max file Size, Max execution time,post max size, memory). Don’t forguet check the collation for your database. I suggest always use innodb and uft8_unicode_ci

  3. nice. thanx for the info. Additional info: Importing from PMA is limited in file size. nor with the shell

  5. Hello great people,
    Someone please tell me what am doing wrong here : mysql -u root -p -h localhost yesu4everfinal < /media /FA48-1247 /yesu4evr-final /yesu4everfinal.sql

    Am trying to import the database and the .sql file is located on an external drive as you can see from the path.
    Much thanks.

  6. Error
    SQL query:

    —
    — Database: `blogger`
    —
    — ——————————————————–
    —
    — Table structure for table `account`
    —
    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `account` (

    `id` INT( 10 ) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT ,
    `username` VARCHAR( 20 ) NOT NULL ,
    `tag` VARCHAR( 50 ) NOT NULL ,
    `data` VARCHAR( 1000 ) NOT NULL ,
    `image` VARCHAR( 500 ) NOT NULL ,
    PRIMARY KEY ( `id` ) ,
    UNIQUE KEY `username` ( `username` , `tag` )
    ) ENGINE = INNODB DEFAULT CHARSET = latin1 AUTO_INCREMENT =1;

    MySQL said: Documentation

    #1046 – No database selected

    1. There is no USE statement for the database ‘blogger’. it requires the database to be created already.
      just insert:
      USE blogger;

      before the CREATE TABLE statement
      best regards

  8. What would cause the MyPHPAdmin to stop working?

    All I get is a screen refresh. I am not using any popup blockers and it used to work just fine.

  9. Hi everyone! I got this error message:
    Error
    SQL query:

    CREATE TABLE `ASEAN MEMBER STATES` (
    `MS_KEY` INTEGER NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    `MS_COUNTRY` VARCHAR(32) NOT NULL,
    `MS_LASTUPDATE` DATETIME,
    `PCU_KEY` INTEGER,
    `MS_FOCALP1` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_FOCALP2` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_BCAEXPERT1` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_BCAEXPERT2` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_REGEXPERT1` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_REGEXPERT2` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_REGBIOCONLIST1` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_REGBIOCONLIST2` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_REGPESTICIDELIST1` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_REGPESTICIDELIST2` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_IMPORTEXPERT1` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_IMPORTEXPERT2` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_IMPORTEDPESTICIDES1` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_IMPORTEDPESTICIDES2` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_REMARK` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_QUESTIONNAIRE1` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_QUESTIONNAIRE2` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_QUESTIONNAIRE3` LONGTEXT,
    `MS_QUESTIONNAIRE4` LONGTEXT,
    INDEX (`PCU_KEY`),
    INDEX (`MS_KEY`),
    PRIMARY KEY (`MS_KEY`)
    ) ENGINE=csv DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
    MySQL said: Documentation

    #1164 – The used table type doesn’t support AUTO_INCREMENT columns

    can you help? thanks a lot :)

  11. Hi,

    Thank you guys so much!! I had been working in importing a WordPress site from a localhost (PC) to a live LINUX Server. Your solution is amazing!

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