About This Manual
=================	

 an
older version of the `MySQL' software (such as 3.23 or 4.0-production).
There are also references for version 5.0 (development).

Being a reference manual, it does not provide general instruction on
`SQL' or relational database concepts.

As the `MySQL Database Software' is under constant development, the
manual is also updated frequently.  The most recent version of this
manual is available at `http://www.mysql.com/documentation/' in many
different formats, including HTML, PDF, and Windows HLP versions.

The primary document is the Texinfo file.  The HTML version is produced
automatically using a modified version of `texi2html'.  The plain text
and Info versions are produced with `makeinfo'.  The PostScript version
is produced using `texi2dvi' and `dvips'.  The PDF version is produced
with `pdftex'.

If you have a hard time finding information in the manual, you can try
our searchable version at `http://www.mysql.com/doc/'.

If you have any suggestions concerning additions or corrections to this
manual, please send them to the documentation team at .

 many
other contributors, see *Note Credits::.

The copyright (2003) to this manual is owned by the Swedish company
`MySQL AB'. *Note Copyright::.

Conventions Used in This Manual
-------------------------------

This manual uses certain typographical conventions:

`constant'
     Constant-width font is used for command names and options; SQL
     statements; database, table, and column names; C and Perl code;
     and environment variables.  Example: "To see how `mysqladmin'
     works, invoke it with the `--help' option."

`filename'
     Constant-width font with surrounding quotes is used for filenames
     and pathnames.  Example: "The distribution is installed under the
     `/usr/local/' directory."

`c'
     Constant-width font with surrounding quotes is also used to
     indicate character sequences.  Example: "To specify a wildcard,
     use the `%' character."

_italic_
     Italic font is used for emphasis, _like this_.

*boldface*
     Boldface font is used in table headings and to convey *especially
     strong emphasis*.

When commands are shown that are meant to be executed by a particular
program, the program is indicated by a prompt shown before the command.
For example, `shell>' indicates a command that you execute from your
login shell, and `mysql>' indicates a command that you execute from the
`mysql' client program:

     shell> type a shell command here
     mysql> type a mysql command here

 and run a
command looks like this in Bourne shell syntax:

     shell> VARNAME=value some_command

For `csh', you would execute the sequence like this:

     shell> setenv VARNAME value
     shell> some_command

Database, table, and column names must often be substituted into
commands.  To indicate that such substitution is necessary, this manual
uses `db_name', `tbl_name', and `col_name'.  For example, you might see
a statement like this:

     mysql> SELECT col_name FROM db_name.tbl_name;

This means that if you were to enter a similar statement, you would
supply your own database, table, and column names, perhaps like this:

     mysql> SELECT author_name FROM biblio_db.author_list;

SQL keywords are not case-sensitive and may be written in uppercase or
lowercase.  This manual uses uppercase.

In syntax descriptions, square brackets (`[' and `]') are used to
indicate optional words or clauses.  For example, in the following
statement, `IF EXISTS' is optional:

     DROP TABLE [IF EXISTS] tbl_name

When a syntax element consists of a number of alternatives, the
alternatives are separated by vertical bars (`|').  When one member
from a set of choices *may* be chosen, the alternatives are listed
within square brackets (`[' and `]'):

     TRIM([[BOTH | LEADING | TRAILING] [remstr] FROM] str)

When one member from a set of choices *must* be chosen, the
alternatives are listed within braces (`{' and `}'):

     {DESCRIBE | DESC} tbl_name {col_name | wild}

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