Austin Matzko's Blog

Dumping definition and data mysql database or table
Usage: mysqldump [OPTIONS] database [tables]
OR mysqldump [OPTIONS] --databases [OPTIONS] DB1 [DB2 DB3...]
OR mysqldump [OPTIONS] --all-databases [OPTIONS]

-A, --all-databases Dump all the databases. This will be same as
--databases with all databases selected.
-a, --all Include all MySQL specific create options.
-#, --debug=... Output debug log. Often this is 'd:t:o,filename`.
--character-sets-dir=...
Directory where character sets are
-?, --help Display this help message and exit.
-B, --databases To dump several databases. Note the difference in
usage; In this case no tables are given. All name
arguments are regarded as databasenames.
'USE db_name;' will be included in the output
-c, --complete-insert Use complete insert statements.
-C, --compress Use compression in server/client protocol.
--default-character-set=...
Set the default character set
-e, --extended-insert Allows utilization of the new, much faster
INSERT syntax.
--add-drop-table Add a 'drop table' before each create.
--add-locks Add locks around insert statements.
--allow-keywords Allow creation of column names that are keywords.
--delayed-insert Insert rows with INSERT DELAYED.
--delete-master-logs Issue RESET MASTER on the master just after taking
the dump, and before unlocking tables.
This will automatically enable --first-slave.
--master-data This will cause the master position and filename to
be appended to your output, before unlocking tables.
This will automatically enable --first-slave.
-F, --flush-logs Flush logs file in server before starting dump.
-f, --force Continue even if we get an sql-error.
-h, --host=... Connect to host.
-l, --lock-tables Lock all tables for read.
--no-autocommit Wrap tables with autocommit/commit statements.
-K, --disable-keys '/*!40000 ALTER TABLE tb_name DISABLE KEYS */;
and '/*!40000 ALTER TABLE tb_name ENABLE KEYS */;
will be put in the output.
-n, --no-create-db 'CREATE DATABASE /*!32312 IF NOT EXISTS*/ db_name;'
will not be put in the output. The above line will
be added otherwise, if --databases or
--all-databases option was given.
-t, --no-create-info Don't write table creation info.
-d, --no-data No row information.
-O, --set-variable var=option
give a variable a value. --help lists variables
--opt Same as --add-drop-table --add-locks --all --quick
--extended-insert --lock-tables --disable-keys
-p, --password[=...] Password to use when connecting to server.
If password is not given it's solicited on the tty.

-P, --port=... Port number to use for connection.
-q, --quick Don't buffer query, dump directly to stdout.
-Q, --quote-names Quote table and column names with `
-r, --result-file=... Direct output to a given file. This option should be
used in MSDOS, because it prevents new line '\n'
from being converted to '\n\r' (newline + carriage
return).
-S, --socket=... Socket file to use for connection.
--tables Overrides option --databases (-B).
-T, --tab=... Creates tab separated textfile for each table to
given path. (creates .sql and .txt files).
NOTE: This only works if mysqldump is run on
the same machine as the mysqld daemon.
-u, --user=# User for login if not current user.
-v, --verbose Print info about the various stages.
-V, --version Output version information and exit.
-w, --where= dump only selected records; QUOTES mandatory!
-X, --xml dump a database as well formed XML
-x, --first-slave Locks all tables across all databases.
EXAMPLES: "--where=user='jimf'" "-wuserid>1" "-wuserid<1"
Use -T (--tab=...) with --fields-...
--fields-terminated-by=...
Fields in the textfile are terminated by ...
--fields-enclosed-by=...
Fields in the importfile are enclosed by ...
--fields-optionally-enclosed-by=...
Fields in the i.file are opt. enclosed by ...
--fields-escaped-by=...
Fields in the i.file are escaped by ...
--lines-terminated-by=...
Lines in the i.file are terminated by ...

Default options are read from the following files in the given order:
/etc/my.cnf /var/lib/mysql/my.cnf ~/.my.cnf
The following groups are read: mysqldump client
The following options may be given as the first argument:
--print-defaults Print the program argument list and exit
--no-defaults Don't read default options from any options file
--defaults-file=# Only read default options from the given file #
--defaults-extra-file=# Read this file after the global files are read

Possible variables for option --set-variable (-O) are:
max_allowed_packet current value: 25165824
net_buffer_length current value: 1047551
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It's like it's showing me the information about mysqldump in the file instead of backing up the database. I don't have a clue as to why this would be happening.

However, a bit of background. The website is being hosted by GoDaddy (ugh), and I've been told by them that even though they now allow cron jobs on shared hosting, I cannot use a cron job directly in their cpanel in order to do a database backup. They assured me that doing a database backup through PHP code would still work, however. Perhaps they were wrong, and it's doing this because it won't let me access mysqldump?