MySQL Reference Manual :: 8.3 mysql, the Command-Line Tool

--help, -?

Display a help message and exit.

--batch, -B

Print results using tab as the column separator, with each row on a new line. With this option, mysql doesn't use the history file.

--character-sets-dir=path

The directory where character sets are installed. See Section 5.9.1, “The Character Set Used for Data and Sorting”.

--compress, -C

Compress all information sent between the client and the server if both support compression.

--database=db_name, -D db_name

The database to use. This is useful mainly in an option file.

--debug[=debug_options], -# [debug_options]

Write a debugging log. The debug_options string often is 'd:t:o,file_name'. The default is 'd:t:o,/tmp/mysql.trace'.

--debug-info, -T

Print some debugging information when the program exits.

--default-character-set=charset

Use charset as the default character set. See Section 5.9.1, “The Character Set Used for Data and Sorting”.

--execute=statement, -e statement

Execute the statement and quit. The default output format is like that produced with --batch.

--force, -f

Continue even if an SQL error occurs.

--host=host_name, -h host_name

Connect to the MySQL server on the given host.

--html, -H

Produce HTML output.

--ignore-space, -i

Ignore spaces after function names. The effect of this is described in the discussion for IGNORE_SPACE in Section 5.3.2, “The Server SQL Mode”.

--local-infile[={0|1}]

Enable or disable LOCAL capability for LOAD DATA INFILE. With no value, the option enables LOCAL. It may be given as --local-infile=0 or --local-infile=1 to explicitly disable or enable LOCAL. Enabling LOCAL has no effect if the server does not also support it.

--named-commands, -G

Named commands are enabled. Long format commands are allowed as well as shortened \* commands. For example, quit and \q both are recognized.

--no-auto-rehash, -A

No automatic rehashing. This option causes mysql to start faster, but you must issue the rehash command if you want to use table and column name completion.

--no-beep, -b

Do not beep when errors occur.

--no-named-commands, -g

Named commands are disabled. Use the \* form only, or use named commands only at the beginning of a line ending with a semicolon (';'). As of MySQL 3.23.22, mysql starts with this option enabled by default! However, even with this option, long-format commands still work from the first line.

--no-pager

Do not use a pager for displaying query output. Output paging is discussed further in Section 8.3.1, “mysql Commands”.

--no-tee

Do not copy output to a file. Tee files are discussed further in Section 8.3.1, “mysql Commands”.

--one-database, -O

Ignore statements except those for the default database named on the command line. This is useful for skipping updates to other databases in the binary log.

--pager[=command]

Use the given command for paging query output. If the command is omitted, the default pager is the value of your PAGER environment variable. Valid pagers are less, more, cat [> filename], and so forth. This option works only on Unix. It does not work in batch mode. Output paging is discussed further in Section 8.3.1, “mysql Commands”.

--password[=password], -p[password]

The password to use when connecting to the server. If you use the short option form (-p), you cannot have a space between the option and the password. If you omit the password value following the --password or -p option on the command line, you are prompted for one.

--port=port_num, -P port_num

The TCP/IP port number to use for the connection.

--prompt=format_str

Set the prompt to the specified format. The default is mysql>. The special sequences that the prompt can contain are described in Section 8.3.1, “mysql Commands”.

--protocol={TCP | SOCKET | PIPE | MEMORY}

The connection protocol to use. New in MySQL 4.1.

--quick, -q

Don't cache each query result, print each row as it is received. This may slow down the server if the output is suspended. With this option, mysql doesn't use the history file.

--raw, -r

Write column values without escape conversion. Often used with the --batch option.

--reconnect

If the connection to the server is lost, automatically try to reconnect. A single reconnect attempt is made each time the connection is lost. To suppress reconnection behavior, use --skip-reconnect. New in MySQL 4.1.0.

--safe-updates, --i-am-a-dummy, -U

Allow only UPDATE and DELETE statements that specify rows to affect using key values. If you have this option in an option file, you can override it by using --safe-updates on the command line. See Section 8.3.3, “mysql Tips” for more information about this option.

--secure-auth

Do not send passwords to the server in old (pre-4.1.1) format. This prevents connections except for servers that use the newer password format. This option was added in MySQL 4.1.1.

--show-warnings

Cause warnings to be shown after each statement if there are any. This option applies to interactive and batch mode. This option was added in MySQL 5.0.6.

--sigint-ignore

Ignore SIGINT signals (typically the result of typing Control-C). This option was added in MySQL 4.1.6.

--silent, -s

Silent mode. Produce less output. This option can be given multiple times to produce less and less output.

--skip-column-names, -N

Don't write column names in results.

--skip-line-numbers, -L

Don't write line numbers for errors. Useful when you want to compare result files that include error messages.

--socket=path, -S path

The socket file to use for the connection.

--table, -t

Display output in table format. This is the default for interactive use, but can be used to produce table output in batch mode.

--tee=file_name

Append a copy of output to the given file. This option does not work in batch mode. Tee files are discussed further in Section 8.3.1, “mysql Commands”.

--unbuffered, -n

Flush the buffer after each query.

--user=user_name, -u user_name

The MySQL username to use when connecting to the server.

--verbose, -v

Verbose mode. Produce more output. This option can be given multiple times to produce more and more output. (For example, -v -v -v produces the table output format even in batch mode.)

--version, -V

Display version information and exit.

--vertical, -E

Print the rows of query output vertically. Without this option, you can specify vertical output for individual statements by terminating them with \G.

--wait, -w

If the connection cannot be established, wait and retry instead of aborting.

--xml, -X

Produce XML output.

connect_timeout

The number of seconds before connection timeout. (Default value is 0.)

max_allowed_packet

The maximum packet length to send to or receive from the server. (Default value is 16MB.)

max_join_size

The automatic limit for rows in a join when using --safe-updates. (Default value is 1,000,000.)

net_buffer_length

The buffer size for TCP/IP and socket communication. (Default value is 16KB.)

select_limit

The automatic limit for SELECT statements when using --safe-updates. (Default value is 1,000.)

Set the MYSQL_HISTFILE variable to /dev/null. To cause this setting to take effect each time you log in, put the setting in one of your shell's startup files.

Create .mysql_history as a symbolic link to /dev/null:

shell> ln -s /dev/null $HOME/.mysql_history

You need do this only once.