Taking specific tables or rows.
WHY
Recovering one table from a backup Moving specific data between sites Excluding bloat from a migration Extracting data for analysis
EXPORTING SPECIFIC TABLES
In phpMyAdmin, select the database, then the Export tab, then Custom. Choose which tables to include.
EXPORTING STRUCTURE WITHOUT DATA
Useful for log and statistics tables you do not want to migrate. The table is created empty and the application repopulates it.
EXPORTING QUERY RESULTS
Run a SELECT, then use the export option beneath the results.
Useful for extracting a subset of rows rather than whole tables.
IMPORTING ONE TABLE
Drop the existing version of that table first, then import.
Be careful: tables have relationships. Restoring one in isolation can leave data inconsistent.
WHEN THIS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH
Recovering something specific without rolling back everything.
Restoring a whole database to retrieve one setting loses everything since the backup.
THE SAFER ROUTE
Import the backup into a separate database, find what you need, and copy it across.
