Where does MySQL on OSX write outfiles by default?

Question

I'm trying to write some data from a MySQL select statement to a file on a Mac running Snow Leopard.

select date_base, fractile_v2, gics, count(gvkey_iid)
from master
where fractile_v2 <= 15 and
      fractile_v2  != 0
group by date_base, gics, fractile_v2
order by date_base, fractile_v2
limit 100000
INTO OUTFILE '/User/my-name/Desktop/gics_v2.csv'
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',';

Unfortunately this generates the following error:

Error Code: 1. Can't create/write to file '/Users/andrew/Desktop/gics_v2.csv' (Errcode: 13)

which I'm assuming is a permissions issue.

When I replace the full file path '/User/my-name/Desktop/gics_v2.csv' with simply gics_v2.csv the statements seems to run. However I have no idea where the file is saved and I can't find it.

Does anyone know? And can anyone also suggest how I can solve the initial write error? I'm running MySQL as the root user.

Answer 1

This is a permissions issue because you're trying to get the mysql user to write to your private home directory. Try writing to a folder you create in /usr/local/ instead and just to be safe, you can make permissions global read/write since it's your Mac.

Open Terminal on your Mac:

cd /usr/local

mkdir DbOutput

sudo chmod -R 777 DbOutput

Then back to your code but change path:

select date_base, fractile_v2, gics, count(gvkey_iid)

from master

where fractile_v2 <= 15 and

fractile_v2 != 0

group by date_base, gics, fractile_v2

order by date_base, fractile_v2

limit 100000

INTO OUTFILE '/usr/local/DbOutput/gics_v2.csv'

FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',';