In addition to using the GRT shell from within the MySQL Migration Toolkit, you can invoke it directly from the command line. If the location of the MySQL GUI Tools is not included in the PATH variable, navigate to the installation directory and find the grtsh.exe file.

Execute this file by typing:

C:\> grtsh -?

Do this and you should see the following listing:

Usage: C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Tools for 5.0\grtsh.exe [-classpath path] »
       [-modulepath path] [-jvm library] [-d path] [-listen port] [-verbose] [-x] [luafile]
       C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Tools for 5.0\grtsh.exe -j structsfile outputdir
       C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Tools for 5.0\grtsh.exe -p structsfile outputdir

  -lua ......... Use the Lua shell (default).
  -py .......... Use the Python shell.
  -classpath ... Sets the java classpath to the given value.
  -modulepath .. Sets the location of the GRT module directory.
  -jvm ......... The java virtual machine library to use (with absolute path).
  -basedir ..... Path to the data files location.
  -d path ...... Modules directory
  -x ........... Exits the shell after running the specified file
  luafile ...... File that is run at startup.

  -listen port . Runs in 'remote agent' mode on the given port number.
  -verbose ..... Prints detailed startup information.
  -j ........... Generates Java classes from the given structs file.
  -p ........... Generates PHP classes from the given structs file.
  -D var=value . Sets a global shell variable to the given value.
Environment variables:
GRT_MODULE_PATH  Equivalent to -modulepath, must point to the directory
                 where the grtsh binary resides

The default shell is the Lua shell and is indicated by the / > prompt. Using the -py option opens a Python shell, indicated by the />>> prompt.

If you wish to set the classpath for Java classes use the classpath option. You may also change the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) by using the jvm option with the absolute path to the JVM you wish to use.

The modulepath option sets the location of the dll files used with the GRT shell. These files are located in the same directory as the grtsh.exe file. You can also set this directory by defining the environment variable, GRT_MODULE_PATH.

The location of any data files you wish to use may be set using the basedir option.

To see the various modules that are loaded at startup use the verbose option. The java modules are stored in the java\com\mysql\grt\modules directory immediately below the installation directory and the Lua modules in the lua directory. Currently, importing Python modules is not supported.

To include modules other than the default modules, use the d option with a path.

It is also possible to use the GRT shell to convert XML files to Java or PHP class files, by opening the shell using the j or the p option and specifying the XML source file and the destination directory.

Use the listen option with a port number to run the GRT shell as a service that can be accessed from a remote location.

Perhaps most importantly, you can pass a Lua script to the shell on startup. This allows you to perform tasks using a script file without even opening the MySQL Migration Toolkit. This is an especially useful feature if you need to migrate the same database a number of times or you want to customize a migration. You can easily create a Lua script by clicking the Generate Migration Script when migrating using the graphical interface. For information on creating a Lua script, see Section 9.17, “The Summary Screen”. A Lua migration script is examined in detail in Chapter 11, Scripted Migration.

Passing a Lua file to the shell is usually invoked using the x option so that the shell closes after the script has executed.

The appearance of the GRT shell run from the command line is identical to its appearance when run from within the MySQL Migration Toolkit. All the commands and options described in Section 10.3, “Using the GRT Shell” are available when the GRT shell is invoked from the command line.