MySQL command output too wide in command-line client [duplicate]

Question

I am using mysql command line client in terminal emulator lxterminal in Ubuntu. When I run the following command:

mysql> select * from routines where routine_name = "simpleproc";

The output is a mess:

But if I copy and paste it here, the output shows me a nice table:

mysql> select * from routines where routine_name = "simpleproc";

+---------------+-----------------+----------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------------------+------------------------+-------------------+---------------+--------------------+--------------------+----------------+----------------+--------------+--------------------------------------------------------+---------------+-------------------+-----------------+------------------+-----------------+----------+---------------+---------------------+---------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------+----------------+----------------------+----------------------+--------------------+
| SPECIFIC_NAME | ROUTINE_CATALOG | ROUTINE_SCHEMA | ROUTINE_NAME | ROUTINE_TYPE | DATA_TYPE | CHARACTER_MAXIMUM_LENGTH | CHARACTER_OCTET_LENGTH | NUMERIC_PRECISION | NUMERIC_SCALE | DATETIME_PRECISION | CHARACTER_SET_NAME | COLLATION_NAME | DTD_IDENTIFIER | ROUTINE_BODY | ROUTINE_DEFINITION                                     | EXTERNAL_NAME | EXTERNAL_LANGUAGE | PARAMETER_STYLE | IS_DETERMINISTIC | SQL_DATA_ACCESS | SQL_PATH | SECURITY_TYPE | CREATED             | LAST_ALTERED        | SQL_MODE                                                                                                                                  | ROUTINE_COMMENT | DEFINER        | CHARACTER_SET_CLIENT | COLLATION_CONNECTION | DATABASE_COLLATION |
+---------------+-----------------+----------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------------------+------------------------+-------------------+---------------+--------------------+--------------------+----------------+----------------+--------------+--------------------------------------------------------+---------------+-------------------+-----------------+------------------+-----------------+----------+---------------+---------------------+---------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------+----------------+----------------------+----------------------+--------------------+
| simpleproc    | def             | test           | simpleproc   | PROCEDURE    |           |                     NULL |                   NULL |              NULL |          NULL |               NULL | NULL               | NULL           | NULL           | SQL          | BEGIN


SELECT COUNT(*) INTO param1 FROM CUSTOMERS1;

END | NULL          | NULL              | SQL             | NO               | CONTAINS SQL    | NULL     | DEFINER       | 2018-01-12 15:18:20 | 2018-01-12 15:18:20 | ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY,STRICT_TRANS_TABLES,NO_ZERO_IN_DATE,NO_ZERO_DATE,ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO,NO_AUTO_CREATE_USER,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION |                 | root@localhost | utf8                 | utf8_general_ci      | latin1_swedish_ci  |
+---------------+-----------------+----------------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------------------+------------------------+-------------------+---------------+--------------------+--------------------+----------------+----------------+--------------+--------------------------------------------------------+---------------+-------------------+-----------------+------------------+-----------------+----------+---------------+---------------------+---------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------------+----------------+----------------------+----------------------+--------------------+
1 row in set (0.01 sec)

I wonder if it is possible to view the output in a terminal emulator as a nice table like this one?

Possible workaround here.

Michael - sqlbot
– Michael - sqlbot

2018-01-16 08:57:21 +00:00
Commented Jan 16, 2018 at 8:57 — Michael - sqlbot
– Michael - sqlbot, Commented Jan 16, 2018 at 8:57

Ronan Boiteau · Accepted Answer · 2019-11-14 06:00:35Z

12

Using `mysql`'s `ego` command

From mysql's help command:

ego (\G) Send command to mysql server, display result vertically.

So by appending a \G to your select, you can get a very clean vertical output:

mysql> select * from routines where routine_name = "simpleproc" \G

Using a pager

You can tell MySQL to use the less pager with its -S option that chops wide lines and gives you an output that you can scroll with the arrow keys:

mysql> pager less -S

Thus, next time you run a command with a wide output, MySQL will let you browse the output with the less pager:

mysql> select * from routines where routine_name = "simpleproc";

If you're done with the pager and want to go back to the regular output on stdout, use this:

mysql> nopager

edited Nov 14, 2019 at 6:00

answered Jan 16, 2018 at 1:53

Ronan Boiteau

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2 Comments

Tim Over a year ago

Thanks. \G will solve the problem when there is only one record in the query result. If there are multiple records in the query results, will you still use \G?

Ronan Boiteau Over a year ago

Sure! \G uses a header to separate each record. Between the first and second rows, you will have a line like this one to warn you that it's the second row which is shown below: *************************** 2. row ***************************.

auwalup · Accepted Answer · 2021-07-11 15:28:03Z

1

You can try also adjusting the font size of the terminal but displaying the output vertically should be clear if all doesn't. use the /G option to run the query i.e

mysql> select * from routines where routine_name = "simpleproc" \G

edited Jul 11, 2021 at 15:28

answered Jan 16, 2018 at 2:10

auwalup

938 bronze badges

1 Comment

Sajjad Over a year ago

It is backslash not slash

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