Complete Newbie SQL Question. How to copy an existing table?

[spenland]

Ok let me begin by saying I am a complete newbie when it comes to databases. They scare me :| Well not really but they just confuse me more than anything. I need to duplicate an existing table in PHPmyAdmin into another new table.

Now this new table will be exactly the same except for the fact that one field (the product ID) will be different but all else would be the same.

Would it be easier to copy the existing table and enter the changes manually, or create a new table from scratch and upload new data into the table.

Again I apoligize for my ignorance, I am a web designer just starting to get into databases :)

Thanks!

[cyanide]

Hi,
It would be best and easiest to just make a copy of the table.
Export the table using phpMyAdmin, then copy the output into text file.

Then in order to make it unique, you just have to change the table name.
The first line might be something like

CREATE TABLE `table_name` (

so, change it to

CREATE TABLE `new_table` (

But also don't forget to change the INSERT statements, if there is data, so they reflect the new table name
example, from

INSERT INTO `table_name`

to

INSERT INTO `new_table`

Then copy all the text in this file and import it into the database. Make sure you backup your enire database before proceeding with all of this

[spenland]

Thanks cyanide. Write before your post I figured out another way to do it.

If you select the database you want to copy, then click the "Operations" tab there is a choice to copy the existing database into a new one with either the same structure, same data, or both! And best of all I don't have to code anything! Yeaaaaaaaaah

[cyanide]

Nice, glad you figured out a way to get it done -