mysql is outputting html-like text to the shell

Question

I log into mysql like normal but whenever I enter a command such as describing a table:

DESCRIBE status_types;

I get text back that is markup-ish, like an HTML table instead of the usual text table.
<TABLE BORDER=1><TR><TH>Field</TH><TH>Type</TH><TH>Null</TH><TH>Key</TH><TH>Default</TH><TH>Extra</TH></TR><TR><TD>status_type</TD><TD>varchar(32)</TD><TD>NO</TD><TD>PRI</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>pic_url</TD><TD>varchar(128)</TD><TD>YES</TD><TD></TD><TD>NULL</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>2 rows in set (0.01 sec)

I suspect that it could have something to do with the shell not rendering it correctly. I am
using bash.
Has this happened to anyone else?

Just to clarify, "logging into mysql like normal" you are using the mysql command to connect? — Jim
– Jim, Commented Sep 1, 2010 at 21:22
yes, the process of getting to mysql would be: sshing into a remote machine then logging in through the command line with the hostname = 127.0.0.1 and the port = 9906 — Rob S.
– Rob S., Commented Sep 1, 2010 at 21:25
maybe you are starting it with --html or -H command option? also check for .bashrc aliases for mysql command. dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/… — Imre L
– Imre L, Commented Sep 1, 2010 at 21:27

Bill Karwin · Accepted Answer · 2010-09-01 21:26:58Z

1

The mysql client outputs HTML format if you give it the -H or --html flags, or if you specify html in the [mysql] or [client] sections of your my.cnf file.

See http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/mysql-command-options.html#option_mysql_html

If you're connecting remotely, perhaps you gave the -H flag when you meant to give the -h flag to specify the server hostname?

answered Sep 1, 2010 at 21:26

Bill Karwin

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3 Comments

Rob S. Over a year ago

This sounds like the culprit, although I didn't specify the -H flag when I started up mysql I am checking the my.cnf file. I doubt I'll be able to edit the file once I find it (is it usually in a default location?) I am not the administrator of the server. Do you know if I can specify a flag to output normal?

Rob S. Over a year ago

Looks like a -t or --table will force tabular output. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Bill Karwin Over a year ago

Yep, -t should help. You can define a $HOME/.my.cnf file in your home directory that overrides the system-wide my.cnf. That way you won't have to remember to use the -t flag every time you run the client.

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