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/usr/bin/myisampack

The MySQL open source relational database

From mysql-9.1 9.1.0-r5 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running myisampack --help (exit 0). permalink

/usr/bin/myisampack  Ver 9.1.0 for Linux on x86_64 (Source distribution)
Copyright (c) 2002, 2024, Oracle and/or its affiliates.

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affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective
owners.

Pack a MyISAM-table to take much less space.
Keys are not updated, you must run myisamchk -rq on the datafile
afterwards to update the keys.
You should give the .MYI file as the filename argument.

Usage: /usr/bin/myisampack [OPTIONS] filename...
  -b, --backup        Make a backup of the table as table_name.OLD.
  --character-sets-dir=name
                      Directory where character sets are.
  -#, --debug[=#]     This is a non-debug version. Catch this and exit.
  -f, --force         Force packing of table even if it gets bigger or if
                      tempfile exists.
  -j, --join=name     Join all given tables into 'new_table_name'. All tables
                      MUST have identical layouts.
  -?, --help          Display this help and exit.
  -s, --silent        Be more silent.
  -T, --tmpdir=name   Use temporary directory to store temporary table.
  -t, --test          Don't pack table, only test packing it.
  -v, --verbose       Write info about progress and packing result. Use many -v
                      for more verbosity!
  -V, --version       Output version information and exit.
  -w, --wait          Wait and retry if table is in use.

Default options are read from the following files in the given order:
/etc/mysql/my.cnf /etc/my.cnf ~/.my.cnf
The following groups are read: myisampack
The following options may be given as the first argument:
--print-defaults        Print the program argument list and exit.
--no-defaults           Don't read default options from any option file,
                        except for login file.
--defaults-file=#       Only read default options from the given file #.
--defaults-extra-file=# Read this file after the global files are read.
--defaults-group-suffix=#
                        Also read groups with concat(group, suffix)
--login-path=#          Read this path from the login file.
--no-login-paths        Don't read login paths from the login path file.

Variables (--variable-name=value)
and boolean options {FALSE|TRUE}  Value (after reading options)
--------------------------------- ----------------------------------------
backup                            FALSE
character-sets-dir                (No default value)
join                              (No default value)
wait                              FALSE
Options (18)
OptionDescriptionSource
-b, --backupMake a backup of the table as table_name.OLD.help
--character-sets-dir nameDirectory where character sets are.help
-#, --debug #This is a non-debug version.help
-f, --forceForce packing of table even if it gets bigger or if tempfile exists.help
-j, --join nameJoin all given tables into 'new_table_name'.help
-?, --helpDisplay this help and exit.help
-s, --silentBe more silent.help
-T, --tmpdir nameUse temporary directory to store temporary table.help
-t, --testDon't pack table, only test packing it.help
-v, --verboseWrite info about progress and packing result.help
-V, --versionOutput version information and exit.help
-w, --waitWait and retry if table is in use.help
--print-defaultsPrint the program argument list and exit.help
--no-defaultsDon't read default options from any option file, except for login file.help
--defaults-file #Only read default options from the given file #.help
--defaults-group-suffix #Also read groups with concat(group, suffix)help
--login-path #Read this path from the login file.help
--no-login-pathsDon't read login paths from the login path file.help

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.