> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wirekite.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Wiretalk SQL Command Line

> The Wiretalk SQL Command Line Utility - a universal database query tool.

Most database vendors provide their own SQL command line tools, but they vary significantly in features and usage. To simplify working with multiple databases, Wirekite provides **Wiretalk** - a unified SQL command line tool that works consistently across all supported databases.

Wiretalk uses the same DSN/URL connection files as other Wirekite tools. If you can connect to a database using Wiretalk, the same connection file will work with other Wirekite components.

## Supported Databases

Wiretalk supports all Wirekite source and target databases:

| Database             | Type Flag                  |
| -------------------- | -------------------------- |
| PostgreSQL           | `postgres` or `postgresql` |
| MySQL                | `mysql`                    |
| MariaDB              | `mariadb`                  |
| SQL Server           | `sqlserver`                |
| Oracle               | `oracle`                   |
| Snowflake            | `snowflake`                |
| Firebolt             | `firebolt`                 |
| Google BigQuery      | `bigquery`                 |
| Google Cloud Spanner | `spanner`                  |
| Databricks           | `databricks`               |
| SingleStore          | `singlestore`              |

## Command Line Usage

```bash theme={null}
wiretalk -d <dbtype> -c <connection-file>
```

Or with a direct connection string:

```bash theme={null}
wiretalk -d <dbtype> -dsn "<connection-string>"
```

### Required Flags

| Flag   | Description                                               |
| ------ | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-d`   | Database type (required) - see supported databases above  |
| `-c`   | Path to file containing the connection string             |
| `-dsn` | Connection string provided directly (alternative to `-c`) |

**Note:** Either `-c` or `-dsn` must be provided.

### Optional Flags

| Flag               | Description                                                                                                          |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-quiet`           | Suppress prompts, print only row numbers and column names                                                            |
| `-silent`          | Print only query results (no metadata)                                                                               |
| `-csv`             | Output results in CSV format with headers                                                                            |
| `-json`            | Output per-statement JSON results (for programmatic integration)                                                     |
| `-credfile <path>` | Path to a GCP service account JSON file. Required for Spanner and BigQuery connections                               |
| `-ignore-errors`   | Continue executing remaining SQL statements even if one fails. Without this flag, execution stops on the first error |

## Interactive Mode

When run interactively (connected to a terminal), Wiretalk provides a prompt-based interface with command history.

### Example Session

```bash theme={null}
$ wiretalk -d firebolt -c fi_url.txt
firebolt instance connect successful
=> create table example (a int, b int);
ok
=> insert into example values (1,1),(2,2),(3,3);
ok
=> select * from example;
1: a: 1
1: b: 1
2: a: 2
2: b: 2
3: a: 3
3: b: 3
=> \d csv
display type set to csv
=> select * from example;
'a','b'
'1','1'
'2','2'
'3','3'
=> <ctrl>-D
bye
```

## Escape Commands

Wiretalk provides several escape commands for controlling output and behavior:

| Command                      | Description                                                |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| `\h`                         | Display help information                                   |
| `\i <filename>`              | Load and execute SQL statements from a file                |
| `\o [filename]`              | Redirect output to a file; `\o` alone disables file output |
| `\d csv\|list`               | Change display format (default: `list`)                    |
| `\p <num>`                   | Set number of rows per page; `0` disables paging           |
| `\r true\|false`             | Show or hide row numbers                                   |
| `\t`                         | Toggle elapsed time display                                |
| `\D`                         | Print current display settings                             |
| `\c <enc> <sep> <row> <hdr>` | Configure CSV format parameters                            |

### CSV Format Configuration

The `\c` command configures CSV output format with four parameters:

```
\c <value-enclose> <column-separator> <row-terminator> <show-header>
```

Available separator tokens:

* `QUOTE` - single quote (`'`)
* `DOUBLEQUOTE` - double quote (`"`)
* `COMMA` - comma (`,`)
* `SPACE` - space character
* `TAB` - tab character
* `PIPE` - pipe (`|`)
* `NONE` - no character
* `NEWLINE` - newline (`\n`)
* `CRLF` - carriage return + newline (`\r\n`)
* Any other literal character

Example:

```
=> \c DOUBLEQUOTE COMMA NEWLINE true
```

## Non-Interactive Mode

Wiretalk can execute SQL from files or stdin in non-interactive mode:

```bash theme={null}
# From a file
wiretalk -d postgres -c pg_conn.txt < schema.sql

# Piped input
cat queries.sql | wiretalk -d mysql -c mysql_conn.txt -quiet
```

### JSON Output Mode

For programmatic integration, use `-json` to get structured output:

```bash theme={null}
echo "CREATE TABLE test (id INT); INSERT INTO test VALUES (1);" | wiretalk -d postgres -c pg_conn.txt -json
```

Output:

```json theme={null}
{"index":1,"sql":"CREATE TABLE test (id INT)","status":"OK","lineNum":1}
{"index":2,"sql":"INSERT INTO test VALUES (1)","status":"OK","lineNum":1}
```

Each statement produces a JSON object with:

* `index` - statement number (1-based)
* `sql` - the executed SQL
* `status` - `OK` or `FAILED`
* `error` - error message (only if status is `FAILED`)
* `lineNum` - line number in input

## Database-Specific Features

### Oracle PL/SQL Blocks

Oracle PL/SQL blocks (starting with `BEGIN` or `DECLARE`) are terminated by a `/` on its own line:

```sql theme={null}
BEGIN
  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Hello World');
END;
/
```

### Google Cloud Spanner Batch DDL

Spanner requires DDL statements to be batched together. Wiretalk supports this with special commands:

```sql theme={null}
START BATCH DDL;
CREATE TABLE users (id INT64, name STRING(100)) PRIMARY KEY (id);
CREATE TABLE orders (id INT64, user_id INT64) PRIMARY KEY (id);
RUN BATCH;
```

## Notes

* Command history is saved to `~/.linerhistory`
* Multi-line SQL statements are supported - statements are executed when a semicolon is encountered
* For PostgreSQL, `sslmode=disable` is automatically added if not specified
* SQL Server PRINT output from stored procedures is captured and displayed