Cloning a MySQL database on the same MySql instance

Question

I would like to write a script which copies my current database sitedb1 to sitedb2 on the same mysql database instance. I know I can dump the sitedb1 to a sql script:

mysqldump -u root -p sitedb1 >~/db_name.sql

and then import it to sitedb2. Is there an easier way, without dumping the first database to a sql file?

Answer 1

As the manual says in Copying Databases you can pipe the dump directly into the mysql client:

mysqldump db_name | mysql new_db_name

If you're using MyISAM you could copy the files, but I wouldn't recommend it. It's a bit dodgy.

Integrated from various good other answers

Both mysqldump and mysql commands accept options for setting connection details (and much more), like:

mysqldump -u <user name> --password=<pwd> <original db> | mysql -u <user name> -p <new db>

Also, if the new database is not existing yet, you have to create it beforehand (e.g. with echo "create database new_db_name" | mysql -u <dbuser> -p).

Answer 2

Using MySQL Utilities

The MySQL Utilities contain the nice tool mysqldbcopy which by default copies a DB including all related objects (“tables, views, triggers, events, procedures, functions, and database-level grants”) and data from one DB server to the same or to another DB server. There are lots of options available to customize what is actually copied.

So, to answer the OP’s question:

mysqldbcopy \
    --source=root:your_password@localhost \
    --destination=root:your_password@localhost \
    sitedb1:sitedb2

Answer 3

$ mysqladmin create DB_name -u DB_user --password=DB_pass && \
    mysqldump -u DB_user --password=DB_pass DB_name | mysql -u DB_user --password=DB_pass -h DB_host DB_name

Answer 4

You need to run the command from terminal / command prompt.

mysqldump -u <user name> -p <pwd> <original db> | mysql -u <user name> <pwd> <new db>

e.g: mysqldump -u root test_db1 | mysql -u root test_db2

This copies test_db1 to test_db2 and grant the access to 'root'@'localhost'

Answer 5

Best and easy way is to enter these commands in your terminal and set permissions to the root user. Works for me..!

:~$> mysqldump -u root -p db1 > dump.sql
:~$> mysqladmin -u root -p create db2
:~$> mysql -u root -p db2 < dump.sql

Answer 6

You could use (in pseudocode):

FOREACH tbl IN db_a:
    CREATE TABLE db_b.tbl LIKE db_a.tbl;
    INSERT INTO db_b.tbl SELECT * FROM db_a.tbl;

The reason I'm not using the CREATE TABLE ... SELECT ... syntax is to preserve indices. Of course this only copies tables. Views and procedures are not copied, although it can be done in the same manner.

See CREATE TABLE.

Answer 7

First create the duplicate database:

CREATE DATABASE duplicateddb;

Make sure the permissions etc are all in place and:

mysqldump -u admin -p originaldb | mysql -u backup -p password duplicateddb;

Answer 8

You can do something like the following:

mysqldump -u[username] -p[password] database_name_for_clone 
 | mysql -u[username] -p[password] new_database_name

Answer 9

This statement was added in MySQL 5.1.7 but was found to be dangerous and was removed in MySQL 5.1.23. It was intended to enable upgrading pre-5.1 databases to use the encoding implemented in 5.1 for mapping database names to database directory names. However, use of this statement could result in loss of database contents, which is why it was removed. Do not use RENAME DATABASE in earlier versions in which it is present.

To perform the task of upgrading database names with the new encoding, use ALTER DATABASE db_name UPGRADE DATA DIRECTORY NAME instead: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/alter-database.html

Answer 10

A simple way to do so if you installed phpmyadmin:

Go to your database, select "operation" tab, and you can see the "copy database to" block. Use it and you can copy the database.

Answer 11

In addition to Greg's answer, this is the easiest and fastest way if the new_db_name doesn't yet exist:

echo "create database new_db_name" | mysql -u <user> -p <pwd> 
mysqldump -u <user> -p <pwd> db_name | mysql -u <user> -p <pwd> new_db_name

Answer 12

If you have triggers in your original database, you can avoid the "Trigger already exists" error by piping a replacement before the import:

mysqldump -u olddbuser -p -d olddbname | sed "s/`olddbname`./`newdbname`./" | mysql -u newdbuser -p -D newdbname

Answer 13

I don't think there is a method to do this. When PHPMyAdmin does this, it dumps the DB then re-inserts it under the new name.