how to access a database files via the command line mysql?

Question

I just installed mysql for the first time and created a databse with create database foo; I think I have found where mysql stores the databases (/var/lib/mysql). When I try to cd to the foo directory I get permission denied. When I try with sudo nothing happens.

output of ls -l

-rw-rw----. 1 mysql mysql    16384 Feb 21 17:44 aria_log.00000001
-rw-rw----. 1 mysql mysql       52 Feb 21 17:44 aria_log_control
drwx------. 2 mysql mysql     4096 Mar  1 22:08 foo
-rw-rw----. 1 mysql mysql 18874368 Feb 21 17:44 ibdata1
-rw-rw----. 1 mysql mysql  5242880 Mar  1 16:05 ib_logfile0
-rw-rw----. 1 mysql mysql  5242880 Feb 21 17:34 ib_logfile1
drwx------. 2 mysql mysql     4096 Feb 21 17:34 mysql
srwxrwxrwx. 1 mysql mysql        0 Mar  1 16:05 mysql.sock
drwx------. 2 mysql mysql     4096 Feb 21 17:34 performance_schema

I know your meant to view the databases and stuff through that application on the command line but I am interested as to why I can't view the foo directory when i am root.

Answer 1

You can't view the foo directory because of the permissions:

owner - mysql - read, write, execute
group - mysql - no access
other - no access

Answer 2

First connect to mysql from command prompt using

[root@host]# mysql -u root -p
Enter password:******

Now select the database using

mysql> USE DB_Name

You can use belo command to have the list of databases

mysql> SHOW DATABASES;

To get the directory details you can use

mysql -uUSER -p -e 'SHOW VARIABLES WHERE Variable_Name = "dir_name"