Replace all fields in MySQL

Use the following SQL query to generate the SQL queries that you need to replace a value in all columns.

select concat(
       'UPDATE my_table SET ',
       column_name,
       ' = REPLACE(', column_name, ', ''a'', ''e'');')
from information_schema.columns
where table_name="my_table";

After executing this SQL query simply run all queries to replace all values.


Untested after some googling

Create a stored procedure with a core like this. It can accept the name of the table, the value to find and the value to replace for.

The main idea is to use:

  1. prepared statements for dynamic SQL execution;
  2. cursors to iterate over all columns of a table.

See partial code (untested) below.

DECLARE done INT DEFAULT 0;
DECLARE cur1 CURSOR FOR
    SELECT column_name FROM information_schema.columns
    WHERE table_name="my_table";
DECLARE CONTINUE HANDLER FOR NOT FOUND SET done = 1;

OPEN cur1;
REPEAT
    SET s = concat(
       'UPDATE my_table SET ',
       column_name,
       ' = REPLACE(', column_name, ', ''a'', ''e'');');
    PREPARE stmt2 FROM s;
    EXECUTE stmt2;
    FETCH cur1 INTO a;
UNTIL done END REPEAT;
CLOSE cur1;

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