[mythtv-users] How (and why) to switch between InnoDB and MyISAM

[David Campbell]

Yeechang Lee wrote:
> David Campbell <dave at cpfc.org> says:
>> Changing engine isn't for the MYSQL newcomer but it is very
>> trivial -
>> see the ALTER TABLE pages of the MYSQL documentation
>>
>> I won't post the exact syntax for fear of people cutting and pasting
>> my commands
> 
> I hope you reconsider. Unlike all the database administrators/SQL
> gurus on the list I know nothing about SQL syntax beyond what Jarod's
> howto had me do way back when in order to get MythTV installed, and
> the MySQL documentation is way, way more obscure for me than most
> other Linux-related documentation. I keep reading about the
> differences between innodb and myisam and I don't even know which one
> my setup uses, much less how to switch to the "better" myisam versus
> the "worse" innodb." I backup my database every hour and so even were
> I careless enough to blow my setup up with an errant SQL command I
> could restore the status quo within minutes.

It isn't that innodb is worse, it just isn't the database engine I would 
just for this type of application.

I would urge everyone to google INNODB V MYISAM before doing anything.

I would also urge people not to do anything if innodb is working fine 
for you.

To see what engines are supported:

mysql> show engines;

To see what engine is being used, you could do something like this:

mysql> SELECT table_name, engine FROM information_schema.tables where 
table_schema = 'mythconverg';

To convert a table to MYISAM

you would run

ALTER TABLE TABLENAME ENGINE=MyISAM;

DO THAT AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!

Dave