# Database re-structuring **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [April 19, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/database-re-structuring/58233 "2006-04-19T21:21:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dishkuvek)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/database-re-structuring/58233/1 "2006-04-19T21:21:20Z")
Hi everyone, I am looking for some suggestions here. I’ve got an older mysql database, one table, dumped into a SQL file. I want to use this data in my new database, only this time I want the data to go into multiple tables instead of one big table. I was thinking of writing a script to parse the SQL file and based on each entry, put the information where it needs to go. I also thought of feeding the SQL file into my new database, and write a script that went thought each row in the data of old table (with a SELECT \*) and figured out where to put it in the new tables. Is this an insane way to do things? I have a feeling I am doing a lot more work than necessary. Does anyone have any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dishkuvek)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2006, 10:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/database-re-structuring/58233/2 "2006-04-19T22:17:10Z")
On 4/19/06, Dick D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Is this an insane way to do things? I have a feeling I am doing a lot > more work than necessary. Does anyone have any suggestions? If the dumped SQL is fairly simple and regular, I’d just write a script to parse it and add things to the right tables. I think it is overkill to import it into a new table just so you can later select and re-insert it. Ryan ---
**Author:** ![dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dishkuvek)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/database-re-structuring/58233/3 "2006-04-20T05:26:49Z")
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 zdennis wrote: > > > script to parse it and add things to the right tables. I think it is > > > overkill to import it into a new table just so you can later select > > > and re-insert it. > > Depending on how big the table was, you could do this all from within a > mysql batch script, by using “insert … select” statements. Actually it has nothing to do with big… it just has to do with writing a mysql batch script… Zach -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - [http://enigmail.mozdev.org](http://enigmail.mozdev.org) iD8DBQFERv7KMyx0fW1d8G0RAuihAJ9BZQ+thrHF7ePEOboIrxiJum9mxgCfZPAP QJ/10EUzkWvbmI676bp7IUI= =ETBE -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ---
**Author:** ![dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dishkuvek)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/database-re-structuring/58233/4 "2006-04-20T05:20:46Z")
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Ryan L. wrote: > Depending on how big the table was, you could do this all from within a mysql batch script, by using “insert … select” statements. Zach -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - [http://enigmail.mozdev.org](http://enigmail.mozdev.org) iD8DBQFERv3pMyx0fW1d8G0RAmNbAJwOaBKouHWL0xDJh5WjmG0uKnj1IgCfb+RM B5NCP6dClBplgDzh+LIQhW4= =L1Pr -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ---
**Author:** ![dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dishkuvek)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/database-re-structuring/58233/5 "2006-04-26T00:39:13Z")
Robert K. wrote: > Since mysql 5 you can also write a stored procedure that will read the > table with a cursor and distribute the data to several tables. > Disclaimer: haven’t used mysql stored procedures yet so I don’t know > how mature they are. > > Kind regards > > robert Thanks for the suggestion Robert (and everyone else). I will have a look at these “stored procedures” on [mysql.org](http://mysql.org) ---
**Author:** ![dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@dishkuvek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/dishkuvek)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 11:25am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/database-re-structuring/58233/6 "2006-04-20T11:25:31Z")
2006/4/19, Dick D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > Hi everyone, I am looking for some suggestions here. > > I’ve got an older mysql database, one table, dumped into a SQL file. > > I want to use this data in my new database, only this time I want the > data to go into multiple tables instead of one big table. > Is this an insane way to do things? I have a feeling I am doing a lot > more work than necessary. Does anyone have any suggestions? Since mysql 5 you can also write a stored procedure that will read the table with a cursor and distribute the data to several tables. Disclaimer: haven’t used mysql stored procedures yet so I don’t know how mature they are. Kind regards robert