Question

mysql -u username -p database -e deletedata.sql

I get ERROR 1064 (42000) at line 1: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ‘deletedata.sql’ at line 1

DELETE FROM 'table1' WHERE 'column' <= date_sub(current_date, INTERVAL 37 day);
DELETE FROM 'table2' WHERE 'column' <= date_sub(current_date, INTERVAL 37 day);

What could I be missing?

Answer 1

-e executes a statement, not a sql file.
What you need:

mysql -u user -p pass db

and then into the mysql cli:

\. deletedata.sql

Backslash dot means “source file”

Or you can just pipe it:

cat delete.sql | mysql -u user -p pass db