I have a mySQL database, and I want to export a table to open in excel. I want to be doing it through PHP, so I could click a link and have the file download, but I am looking specifically for the mySQL to save the file.

mysqldump --opt --user=username --password database > filetosaveto.sql
...or...
(mysqldump [options] db_name [tables] > filetosaveto.sql)

It is my understanding that the above statement will create "filetosaveto.sql" as a file in the directory that it is run.

What can you recomend?

I tried to use:

SELECT DISTINCT * INTO OUTFILE "/result.txt" FIELDS TERMINATED BY ';' OPTIONALLY ENCLOSED BY '"' LINES TERMINATED BY "\n" FROM MailingList

to save my "mailingList" table into "result.txt" file...
I am using this through PHP, and am getting an error: "Error: 1045: Access denied for user: 'username@%' (Using password: YES)"

I'm not sure why it won't grant access, there are other things on the page that are reading and writing to the table and connecting fine with hte username/pw.

I know this isn't the PHP forum, but was curious if the code above will get my desired outcome. Please let me know, thanks.

For your SELECT INTO OUTFILE problem, the user you are connecting to the database with does not have privileges to create a file on the database server. See the following from the mysql manual -

Is this something I can get around with permissions?
I need to have this .csv file saved to my web directory (or
directly to my desktop) for me to open in excel.

It is hosted on a hosting provider, so I don't have
direct access to the server.

What's the best way to save and open this .csv file?

Solution can be found in my post on the PHP section...as the solution is through php.