Re: [SQL] a newbie's question on language syntax

[William T Wilson <fluffy@snurgle.org>]

On Thu, 26 Aug 1999, Jack Lee wrote:

> commands. The database I was working on is named
> "mysql", but the prompt of the interactive mode
> is also called mysql:

Be sure not to name your own databases mysql.  That database is used by
mysql to store its permissions information and things.

>    mysql->select *
>         ->SELECT *
>         ->select * from mysql
>         ->SELECT * FROM mysql

You have to put a semicolon (;) at the end of your statements.  If you
don't, it thinks you are entering a multiple line command.

Also, you can't select from a database.  Databases contain multiple
tables; you have to select from the tables.  So you could do:
use mysql;
select * from user ;

That would give you a list of all the user accounts MySQL has (which don't
correspond necessarily to user accounts on the system) provided you are
logged onto MySQL as root.  I think you have to use a commandline option
to the mysql client for that, but I don't remember what it is.

> matter how I tried using "select" or "show". BTW,
> I'm just wondering does commands have to be small
> latters or big letters?

It doesn't matter.  I know that SQL data is case sensitive, but I don't
think any of the commands, nor the names of databases or tables, are case
sensitive.