Database admin with MySQL 1

[PeterHar]

Hi all,
I'm quite new to both MySQL and database driven web development.

Now i've managed to get everything working the way i want it to, and wonder of wonders, visitors have started to leave all manner of info, product recommendations, reviews, feedback, all of which is being added to the appropiate tables and making me very happy.

But, i'm now beginning to get nervous about backing this information up, or preferably copying the online database back to the development area on my desktop machine.

So, the question is: How do i back up my database. (i've found a backup option within DBAdmin and MySQLFront, but they both seem to save the database in a non database format).
Is it possible to just copy a database back to a local machine in the same way you can copy one up to a server via the ODBC.

Many apologies, if i've just missed something obvious in the manual. Any help would be most welcome.

PeterH

 

[Haunter]

What is your server type? You have several options for backing up the database. You can dump the contents of the database tables to a text file. You can download the db files directly if you have access to them. Give me a little more information on you situation so we can help you better.

 

[PeterHar]

My site is hosted on a Win2000 server, which I only access via DBAdmin or MySQLFront etc (my SQL just isn't up to working without a GUI), no physical access, but i do have full read, write, delete access. The MySQL server version is 3.23.49-nt.

My desktop is a Pentium 4 running Win2000, I develop the site locally with IIS and then import it to the hosted server via the ODBC with MyODBC installed. locally i'm running 3.23.51-nt.

Essentially i'd prefer to be able to just copy my hosted database back to my desktop localhost, so that any testing i do locally outputs fairly realistic results. Failing that I'll settle for just having a backup on my local machine in case of disaster.

I don't know if it's relevant, but i use MySQL with ASP.

Many thanks
Peter H

 

[Haunter]

Since MySQL does not have a literal back up option you have two ways to solve your problem.

First, the files that contain the tables for the data base are located in the /data directory under your myql installation. YOU CAN simple copy and paste across the network to a local mysql server. Just put the copied files in the /data dirctory of the development environment.

Second,
dump the data and then import it.
These links will give the details

http://www.mysql.com/documentation/..._MySQL_Database_Administration.html#mysqldump

http://www.mysql.com/documentation/...SQL_Database_Administration.html#mysqlhotcopy

http://www.mysql.com/documentation/...ySQL_Database_Administration.html#mysqlimport

 

[PeterHar]

Exactly what i was after.

Many thanks
PeterH