Error Code: 1290. The MySQL server is running with the --secure-file-priv option so it cannot execute this statement

Question

I encountered such a problem: Error Code: 1290. The MySQL server is running with the --secure-file-priv option so it cannot execute this statement when I tried to execute MySQL statement (Windows):

SELECT *
FROM xxxx
WHERE XXX
INTO OUTFILE 'report.csv'
    FIELDS TERMINATED BY '#'
    ENCLOSED BY '"'
    LINES TERMINATED BY '\n'

When I execute it without:

INTO OUTFILE 'report.csv'
    FIELDS TERMINATED BY '#'
    ENCLOSED BY '"'
    LINES TERMINATED BY '\n'

Then it works. Also, the same statement with INTO OUTFILE xxx actually worked before I reinstalled the MySQL server.

Anybody has ideas how to deal with this error?

Answer 1

Error Code: 1290. The MySQL server is running with the --secure-file-priv option so it cannot execute this statement

TL;DR

Specify the secure-file-priv folder with double back slash and also explicitly specify the output file with double back slashes and the OPs original issue is solved.

The detail

The longer answer is as follows - On Windows 11 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor, build 22621.963, Version 22H2 with MySQL installed using the web installer .MSI file as a developer configuration.

SELECT VERSION(); gives '8.0.31'

Help > About Workbench gives Version 8.0.31 build 2235049 CE 64 bits

The defaults file on Windows 11 is called "my.ini" and is in C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0

C:\ProgramData is a hidden folder.

The default specification in my.ini is secure-file-priv="C:/ProgramData/MySQL/MySQL Server 8.0/Uploads"

execute SHOW VARIABLES LIKE "secure_file_priv";

copy and paste the row gives 'secure_file_priv', 'C:\\ProgramData\\MySQL\\MySQL Server 8.0\\Uploads\\'

which renders as 'C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Uploads\' in Workbench

Note the backslash, forward slash and double back slash syntax of these folder specifications

execute the OP's code

SELECT * FROM shippers INTO OUTFILE 'report.csv'

gives error 1290

execute the OP's code

SELECT * FROM shippers INTO OUTFILE 'report.csv'
    FIELDS TERMINATED BY '#' ENCLOSED BY '"' LINES TERMINATED BY '\n';

gives error 1290

next change my.ini to secure-file-priv="" and restart MySQL using Open Services > Stop Service MySQL80 > then Start Service MySQL80 then close and reopen Workbench.

secure-file-priv is now switched off

SHOW VARIABLES LIKE "secure_file_priv";


Variable_name, Value

'secure_file_priv', ''

execute the OP's code

SELECT * FROM shippers INTO OUTFILE 'report.csv'

The file report.csv is generated in C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Data\northwind

northwind is the database name

The output file is tab separated, Excel does not recognise this as a .CSV file and renders it as a single column

"1  Speedy Express  (503) 555-9831"
"2  United Package  (503) 555-3199"
"3  Federal Shipping    (503) 555-9931"
"1  Speedy Express  (503) 555-9831"
"2  United Package  (503) 555-3199"
"3  Federal Shipping    (503) 555-9931"

execute the OP's code

SELECT * FROM shippers INTO OUTFILE 'report.csv'
    FIELDS TERMINATED BY '#' ENCLOSED BY '"' LINES TERMINATED BY '\n';

file report.csv is generated in C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Data\northwind

The output file is as specified in the SQL code with text fields enclosed by quotes and separated by # -

1#"Speedy Express"#"(503) 555-9831"
2#"United Package"#"(503) 555-3199"
3#"Federal Shipping"#"(503) 555-9931"
1#"Speedy Express"#"(503) 555-9831"
2#"United Package"#"(503) 555-3199"
3#"Federal Shipping"#"(503) 555-9931"

Next set secure_file_priv="C:\\ProgramData\\MySQL\\MySQL Server 8.0\\Uploads\\" in my.ini and restart MySQL and Workbench

execute the OP's code

SELECT * FROM shippers INTO OUTFILE 'report.csv'

Error 1290 because "C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Data\northwind" is not the secure file output folder.

execute the following code

SELECT * FROM shippers INTO OUTFILE "C:\\ProgramData\\MySQL\\MySQL Server 8.0\\Uploads\\report.csv"

file report.csv is generated in "C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Uploads"

Answer 2

I had to set

C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0/my.ini  secure-file-priv=""

When I commented line with secure-file-priv, secure-file-priv was null and I couldn't download data.

Answer 3

A quick answer, that doesn't require you to edit any configuration files (and works on other operating systems as well as Windows), is to just find the directory that you are allowed to save to using:

mysql> SHOW VARIABLES LIKE "secure_file_priv";
+------------------+-----------------------+
| Variable_name    | Value                 |
+------------------+-----------------------+
| secure_file_priv | /var/lib/mysql-files/ |
+------------------+-----------------------+
1 row in set (0.06 sec)

And then make sure you use that directory in your SELECT statement's INTO OUTFILE clause:

SELECT *
FROM xxxx
WHERE XXX
INTO OUTFILE '/var/lib/mysql-files/report.csv'
    FIELDS TERMINATED BY '#'
    ENCLOSED BY '"'
    LINES TERMINATED BY '\n'

---

Original answer

I've had the same problem since upgrading from MySQL 5.6.25 to 5.6.26.

In my case (on Windows), looking at the MySQL56 Windows service shows me that the options/settings file that is being used when the service starts is C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.6\my.ini

On linux the two most common locations are /etc/my.cnf or /etc/mysql/my.cnf.

Opening this file I can see that the secure-file-priv option has been added under the [mysqld] group in this new version of MySQL Server with a default value:

secure-file-priv="C:/ProgramData/MySQL/MySQL Server 5.6/Uploads"

You could comment this (if you're in a non-production environment), or experiment with changing the setting (recently I had to set secure-file-priv = "" in order to disable the default). Don't forget to restart the service after making changes.

Alternatively, you could try saving your output into the permitted folder (the location may vary depending on your installation):

SELECT *
FROM xxxx
WHERE XXX
INTO OUTFILE 'C:/ProgramData/MySQL/MySQL Server 5.6/Uploads/report.csv'
    FIELDS TERMINATED BY '#'
    ENCLOSED BY '"'
    LINES TERMINATED BY '\n'

It's more common to have comma seperate values using FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','. See below for an example (also showing a Linux path):

SELECT *
FROM table
INTO OUTFILE '/var/lib/mysql-files/report.csv'
    FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',' ENCLOSED BY '"'
    ESCAPED BY ''
    LINES TERMINATED BY '\n';

Answer 4

If you changed my.ini and restarted mysql and you still get this error please check your file path and replace "\" to "/". I solved my proplem after replacing.