how to backup my sql database in vb.net - mysql

Question

i want the user of my vb application to be able to backup and restore the database (MySQL) onto a storage medium. my problem is that i dont want to specify 'c:\ in the code because i want the application to be able to locate the dumb file whether it is created on drive c or not. below is the code i used but when i installed it on another machine, it had its windows and program files on D:. it turns out that i have to check the drive letter of every machine, change it in the code before i publish the application to allow backup which i dont want to do that. i want it do be universal. thus whether the dump file is on driver C, G or whatever. any help. below is the code i used.
Dim cmd As String
Private Sub cmdBackup_Click()
Screen.MousePointer = vbHourglass
DoEvents
cmd = Chr(34) & "C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.1\bin\mysqldump" & Chr(34) & " -uroot -psecretpswd --routines --comments db_name > c:\MyBackup.sql"
Call execCommand(cmd)
Screen.MousePointer = vbDefault
MsgBox "done"
End Sub

Answer 1

There is a complied DLL called MySqlBackup.NET. Actually it is an alternative to MySqlDump.
Features
Export/Import Table's Structures & Rows
Export/Import Stored Procedures, Functions, Triggers, Events, Views
Custom Tables and Rows Export.
Able to apply encryption to the process.
Export BLOB and save as files.
Gather SQL Syntax errors during Import process.
Export/Import will report progress. Enable the usage of progress bar.
Able to execute in Synchronous or Asynchronous mode.
Export/Import To/From Zip File.
For more info, see the link below,
MySqlBackup.NET - MySQL Backup Solution for C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET
Edited: Code Examples Added
Backup a MySql Database
Dim con As String = "server=localhost;user=root;pwd=1234;database=test;"
Dim file As String = "C:\backup.sql"
Dim mb As New MySqlBackup(con)
mb.ExportInfo.FileName = file
mb.Export()
Restore a MySql Database
Dim con As String = "server=localhost;user=root;pwd=1234;database=test;"
Dim file As String = "C:\backup.sql"
Dim mb As New MySqlBackup(con)
mb.ImportInfo.FileName = file
mb.Import()

Answer 2

Usually this commands are built using parameters external to the application, not hard coding path to MySqlDump, Database Name and path to destination folder.
Your code should be changed to something like this
Private Sub cmdBackup_Click()
Screen.MousePointer = vbHourglass
DoEvents
Dim mySqlDumpCmd = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("PathToMySqlDump")
Dim dbName = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("DatabaseToBackup")
Dim destPath = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("DestinationPath")
cmd = Chr(34) & mySqlDumpCmd & Chr(34) & " -uroot -psecretpswd --routines --comments " +
dbName & " > " & destPath
Call execCommand(cmd)
Screen.MousePointer = vbDefault
MsgBox "done"
End Sub
and your application.config file contains these values
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
.......
<appSettings>
<add key="PathToMySqlDump" value="C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.1\bin\mysqldump.exe"/>
<add key="DatabaseToBackup" value="db_name"/>
<add key="DestinationPath" value="C:\MyBackup.sql"/>
</appSettings>
.......
In this way you read the key information from the config file of your application. If the need arises you can easily change the information used by the command without touching anything in your application

Answer 3

Use this code. It works for me.
I had such a problem and then found this article
"http://www.experts-exchange.com/Programming/Languages/.NET/Q_27155602.html"
Example was in C#. I manually converted it into vb.net and add converting into 'utf8'.
Imports System.Text
Public Class Form1
Dim OutputStream As System.IO.StreamWriter
Sub OnDataReceived1(ByVal Sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Diagnostics.DataReceivedEventArgs)
If e.Data IsNot Nothing Then
Dim text As String = e.Data
Dim bytes As Byte() = Encoding.Default.GetBytes(text)
text = Encoding.UTF8.GetString(bytes)
OutputStream.WriteLine(text)
End If
End Sub
Sub CreateBackup()
Dim mysqldumpPath As String = "d:\mysqldump.exe"
Dim host As String = "localhost"
Dim user As String = "root"
Dim pswd As String = "Yourpwd"
Dim dbnm As String = "BaseName"
Dim cmd As String = String.Format("-h{0} -u{1} -p{2} {3}", host, user, pswd, dbnm)
Dim filePath As String = "d:\backup\fieName.sql"
OutputStream = New System.IO.StreamWriter(filePath, False, System.Text.Encoding.UTF8)
Dim startInfo As System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo = New System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo()
startInfo.FileName = mysqldumpPath
startInfo.Arguments = cmd
startInfo.RedirectStandardError = True
startInfo.RedirectStandardInput = False
startInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = True
startInfo.UseShellExecute = False
startInfo.CreateNoWindow = True
startInfo.ErrorDialog = False
Dim proc As System.Diagnostics.Process = New System.Diagnostics.Process()
proc.StartInfo = startInfo
AddHandler proc.OutputDataReceived, AddressOf OnDataReceived1
proc.Start()
proc.BeginOutputReadLine()
proc.WaitForExit()
OutputStream.Flush()
OutputStream.Close()
proc.Close()
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
CreateBackup()
End Sub
End Class