How Can I Execute MySQL *.sql Files from PHP Using shell_exec()?

Executing MySQL *.sql Files in PHP

When creating website databases, you may encounter scenarios where you need to execute .sql files from PHP to automate site generation. While Zend_Framework can be beneficial, running .sql files directly from PHP can be challenging due to inconsistencies in SQL statements.

Solution: Using shell_exec()

The recommended approach is to invoke the mysql tool using shell_exec() to execute your *.sql script. Here's an example:

$command = 'mysql'
        . ' --host=' . $vals['db_host']
        . ' --user=' . $vals['db_user']
        . ' --password=' . $vals['db_pass']
        . ' --database=' . $vals['db_name']
        . ' --execute="SOURCE ' . $script_path
;

This command creates a MySQL execution command with the necessary parameters to execute the *.sql file specified in $script_path.

Differences between shell_exec() and exec()

Although both functions execute external commands, they have some distinctions. shell_exec() captures the output of the command and returns it as a string, while exec() returns the status of the command execution. In this case, shell_exec() is preferred to obtain the output of the MySQL command.

Additional Considerations

When executing *.sql files, ensure the command includes all the necessary parameters (db_host, db_user, db_pass, db_name) and you have sufficient permissions to execute the script. Additionally, use the --execute="SOURCE ..." option instead of < to execute the file.

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