The MySQL UNIQUE constraint is often used in a column definition in which we need each value for that column to be distinct from the others. Perhaps it is an email column for an on-line registration form and we want to ensure that users cannot register twice for an account using the same email. Whatever the case may be, UNIQUE is there to help us ensure this type of data integrity or business requirement. What if the target table already exists and you determine you need to add a UNIQUE constraint to an existing column? In this post, I will cover 2 ways you can implement a UNIQUE constraint on existing columns using the phpMyAdmin web interface…

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I recently watched a fantastic Python Pandas library tutorial series on YouTube. Without a doubt, Pandas is great for all sorts of data stuff. On the same token, MySQL Shell in Python mode is quite powerful in the sense that Python and the MySQL Shell (version >= 8.0) are somewhat united in the same environment. Although Pandas is in a league all its own when it comes to data analysis, between the power of MySQL and Python, we can also perform some basic analysis easily in MySQL Shell Python mode. In this blog post, I will cover some basic data analysis using Python mode in the MySQL Shell. Continue reading to see examples…

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There may come a time you need to rename one or more columns in an existing MySQL table for a variety of reasons. Using ALTER TABLE, to rename a column is an easy enough command. But, suppose there are multiple tables in the same database/schema that have the same-named column and all of those columns need to be renamed. That could be a lot of ALTER TABLE statements to type out. Save your energy and time, avoiding all of those ALTER TABLE commands all-together. If you are lucky enough to be working with a MySQL version > 8.0 then the Shell is your salvation. With just a few lines of Python code in \py mode, all of your trouble(s) and headache(s) are no more…

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Date and time values are some of the most important datatypes in an RDBMS. From tracking order dates to payroll hours, DATE and DATETIME datatypes are used in all types of applications. At times as a Developer, you may need only certain portions of a DATE or DATETIME value. In MySQL, the EXTRACT() function can provide you with a specific component of a DATE or DATETIME value depending on which INTERVAL is given as a parameter. Continue reading to see example EXTRACT() queries for understanding…

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Have you ever had to type out a massive CREATE TABLE statement by hand? One with dozens of columns? Maybe several dozens of columns? There are likely some GUI tools to help with large CREATE TABLE commands. Or, other drag-n-drop types of software that I am not familiar with. What if you could write a few lines of Python code and take care of a huge CREATE TABLE statement with way less effort than typed manually? Interested? Continue reading and see how using pandas, pyodbc, and MySQL…

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If you are a developer working in a MySQL environment, this blog post is for you. I share 3 MySQL commands or statements that you should know. That is a bold statement, I know. Turns out, once you do know (of) these commands, you will use them all the time. They minimize guesswork which leads to better productivity in other facets of your programming and querying workflow. I use them myself almost daily and am sure you will too once you see how simple they are to use. So why should you know them? Continue reading and find out…

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In this post, I’ll cover examples of the MySQL TRIM() function. TRIM() removes specific characters – or spaces – from a given string, at either: the beginning, ending, or potentially in both locations depending on several factors. With an optional keyword argument that controls which character(s) – if any – are removed, TRIM() can be tricky so let’s gain understanding with several easy-to-digest examples…

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• OpenSuse Leap 15.1
• MySQL 8.0.20

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If you write MySQL queries, at some point you are going to have to provide query results in a specific order. To impose any ordering in MySQL (this applies to SQL overall and is not directed only at MySQL), you have to use the ORDER BY clause. Without it, there is no guaranteed order. The database is free to send back query results in any order. As I learn PHP, I make it a point to explore both the MySQL side, along with the PHP side in regards to similar type tasks and the efficiency of each. So far in my PHP journey, I have found that arrays are used quite extensively. In this post, I’ll cover array_multisort() – one of many in-built PHP functions – used for sorting arrays. In the context of the example data for this post, the arrays are populated by an unordered MySQL query. Let’s see one example of how you can establish a sorting order in a PHP …