If you are working on some SQL project, making SQL dump more readable is very usefull. You need to optimize edit-import-try-fix-export loop, because you want develop your SQL procedures fast. Here are some tips how to accomplish this.

Configure your mysql client

Set parameter comments = 1 in your ~/.my.cnf, which will preserve comments in your SQL procedures.

[client]
password = top-secret
[mysql]
comments = 1

Make SQL dumps more readable

Dump your procedures with the following command

mysqldump --no-data \
  --skip-dump-date --skip-comments --skip-set-charset \
  --routines --no-create-info --skip-triggers $DATABASE \
    | grep -v -e '^/\*\![0-9]* SET ' \
    > sql/proceures.sql

Use ‚make‘ to import/export easily

Create Makefile (look here for example) and use simple comands make install and make dump

Use Vim editor to fold body of the procedure

Vim editor has a great feature – folding. You can hide parts of edited file and get better overview of your source code. But little configuration is required for *.sql file. Add the following line at the end of your *.sql file:

$ cat sql/_footer.sql
-- vim: fdm=marker fdl=0 fdc=0 fmr=DELIMITER\ ;;,DELIMITER\ \; foldtext=getline(v\:foldstart\+1)

Use Vim autocommand

In Vim editor use command

:au BufWritePost *.sql :! make install

which will use ‚make‘ to install your SQL procedures after each write of *.sql file. Command is executed directly from editor so you don’t need to stop or suspend them.