How Can I Retrieve and Insert MySQL Table Names Using SELECT Statements?

Retrieving Table Names with SELECT in MySQL

In MySQL, obtaining a list of table names within a database is typically achieved using the SHOW TABLES command. However, this method is not suitable for populating another table with those names using a direct INSERT INTO query.

To achieve this goal, a standard SELECT statement can be utilized, but it requires accessing the appropriate table within the MySQL system database. That table is the information_schema.tables table, which houses information about all tables in the connected server.

To get the names of all tables in the MySQL server:

SELECT table_name
FROM information_schema.tables;

To get the names of tables from a specific database:

SELECT table_name
FROM information_schema.tables
WHERE table_schema = 'your_database_name';

To insert the table names into another table:

INSERT INTO metadata(table_name)
SELECT table_name
FROM information_schema.tables
WHERE table_schema = 'your_database_name';

Utilizing the information_schema.tables table enables the retrieval of table names using a regular SELECT statement, resolving the issue of directly inserting table names obtained from the SHOW TABLES command.

For further information and detailed explanations, refer to the MySQL documentation at: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/information-schema.html

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