MySQL from the command line.

[greree]

In my database in the table "customers" in the field "customers_dob", the type is listed as "DATETIME" with the default "0000-00-00 00:00:00". I need to give instructions to someone on how to change this to type "CHAR" with no default and with a length of 1. What would be the best way, assuming I don't know which front end will be used for MySQL. I was thinking command line, except I don't know how to do it. Anyone know the syntax? Thanks.

[blueline]

I can tell you that, without a doubt, the easiest way to use a mySQL interface is by using phpMyAdmin. This is a free php-mySQL tool that you can download from http://www.phpmyadmin.net and simply install it on your server. This is so much more user friendly than a command prompt that you will figure it out in no time.

 

Hope this helps,

-Chris

[greree]

Thanks for the advice. I do use phpMyAdmin. But I can't assume everyone will. So I wanted to phrase the instructions in such a way so that anyone reading it could understand what I was doing and apply it to any MySQL frontend, or execute it from the command line.

[mattice]

Thanks for the advice. I do use phpMyAdmin. But I can't assume everyone will. So I wanted to phrase the instructions in such a way so that anyone reading it could understand what I was doing and apply it to any MySQL frontend, or execute it from the command line.

 

why not create a php file that does it for you? Execute the query with phpMyAdmin. Latest version has 'show this as php'. If it is for osCommerce (you didn't say but I assume it is) include application_top.php and you have access to all the tep_XXXX functions.

People will only have to run that script once and that's it.

You could even do a check to see if it was upgraded allready, if not execute, if so print message.

 

HTH

Mattice

[Guest]

I may not have this exactly right but from telnet you could do this if they had it enabled

 

mysql> ALTER TABLE customers MODIFY customers_dob CHAR (20);

 

(20) being the number of charecters.

 

That should work