Hi, I've been looking for simple software to edit .sql files for ages and just happened across this forum so I thought I'd ask. Is there a program that lets me open sql files offline, edit them in columns like using excel with exel files, and saves them as sql file without any fuss.

I've tried all sorts but they're all a pain, inlcluding using excel, and usually end up messing about with phpmyadmin until I get what I want - but it would be great if there was something like excel for sql files where I could cut and past columns with ease.

I tried that frog thing (can't remember the proper name?) but it seemed mind-bogglingly complicated for what I wanted to do and put me off looking for years. I just want to download files from phpmyadmin, open and edit them offline then import them back into phpmyadmin when I'm done without having to mess around with file formats etc.

Is there anything that will do this?

Thanks.

try HeidiSQL, it's what i use and i find it way easier than phpmyadmin

I installed it but I can't see how to get it to work offline, how do I open and edit an sql file that's sitting in a folder on my computer?

I don't understand what you are aiming at. A "SQL File" is (in my understanding) a file that contains SQL statements (such as SELECT, UPDATE, DELETE). It cannot be edited "in columns".

Do you by any chance mean to edit the data data of a table e.g. in a tab-separated text files? (aka "CSV")?

This should be possible using Excel or OpenOffice without problems, but that is not a MySQL problem.

I don't know HeidiSQL but probably you can simply run the SELECT there, and then edit the data directly in the result.

go to the query tab, which allows you to type or paste or open a file