import new database without nuking existing chars?
 

is there away to update the world database without nuking the existing characters?

yep.
extract the existing chars, and ressource them after. this has been covered yet several times.

See Arkaria's sig.

The command to dump the accounts and chars are as follows

c:\

mysqldump -u root databasename tablename > sqlfilename.sql

Make sure that you dump the character_ , Accounts, and inventory.

or, if you dont want to dump tables, this is what I do:

for each new db / code i use, i thusly name my db to something similar: (if using 5.3DR1) I create a db named 'eq53dr1'

so, if you had your current db (we'll just call it 'currentdb') and you wanted to upgrade... just create a new db (we'll call it 'newdb') and source in the new db.

then type

REPLACE INTO newdb.account SELECT * FROM currentdb.account;

the next would be

REPLACE INTO newdb.character_ SELECT * FROM currentdb.character_;

do this for account, character_, and inventory (and 'guilds' if you created any) and it will merge the current data into the new db. As a safe practice you should always have the last previous working db somewhere in a mysql db , so you can use the above method to just 'pull a table over' if you ever mess anything up. This minimizes downtime.

Hope this helped!

I tried that going from MyraDB to MWdb .. Exported my characters from the myradb to mwdb, and the character was equipped when i was looking at him ingame, but in the character sheet, he had no items, and all stats were as if he were nekkid..

Still some changes can happen in the diff databases when it comes to equipment imo.

lovely job, does just what it says on the tin :)

hey cybermax.. the reason is the table is different (i think) , at least that was the problem on my server.. i lost all 452 accounts by not checking and making a current backup.. the table didnt import cuz there was either an extra field or was missing one.. cant remember which.. but check that area and you will find your problem..

Omper

I missed the "inventory" table.. when doing this with 4.4 it was enough to backup the "character_" table, but on 5.x you need to backup inventory, sharedbank, faction_values and player_corpses as well.. :)