Ah, OK! Thank you! That gets it started. Can I please make a suggestion (for the README.txt, not mwdumper.jar) ? The commands are described in the abstract, but converting from the abstract to a concrete command-line is non-trivial due to: * Different call syntax required when using the JDBC driver. * Order of args matters when using both --output and --format. * The ampersand in the username/password mysql URI being interpreted as backgrounding unless escaped. Therefore it would really help to include a concrete working example of running mwdumper in this way in the README.txt. I would suggest adding something like the following: ======================================================== Example of using mwdumper with a direct connection to MySQL: /usr/java/jre1.5.0_05/bin/java -Xmx200M -server -classpath mysql-connector-java-3.1.11/mysql-connector-java-3.1.11-bin.jar:mwdumper.jar org.mediawiki.dumper.Dumper --output=mysql://127.0.0.1/testwiki?user=wiki\&password=wiki --format=sql:1.4 20051020_pages_articles.xml.bz2 Notes: * You will need the mysql-connector JDBC driver (can be downloaded from mysql's website). * The JRE does not allow you to mix the -jar and -classpath arguments (hence the different command structure). * The --output argument must before the --format argument. * The ampersand in the MySQL URI must be escaped on Unix-like systems. ======================================================== Also, I encountered the following the problem/error when importing in this way: ======================================================== ludo:/home/nickj/wikipedia# /usr/java/jre1.5.0_05/bin/java -Xmx200M -server -classpath mysql-connector-java-3.1.11/mysql-connector-java-3.1.11-bin.jar:mwdumper.jar org.mediawiki.dumper.Dumper --output=mysql://127.0.0.1/testwiki?user=wiki\&password=wiki --format=sql:1.4 20051020_pages_articles.xml.bz2 1,000 pages (58.661/sec), 1,000 revs (58.661/sec) 2,000 pages (76.502/sec), 2,000 revs (76.502/sec) 3,000 pages (88.556/sec), 3,000 revs (88.556/sec) 4,000 pages (89.71/sec), 4,000 revs (89.71/sec) 5,000 pages (90.874/sec), 5,000 revs (90.874/sec) Exception in thread "main" java.io.IOException: java.sql.SQLException: Not a valid escape sequence: {| border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float:right; empty-cells:show; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:0,5em; background:#DEFFAD;\"\n! align=\"center\" colspan=\"2\" | Statistics\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| [[Peripheries of Greece|Periphery]]:|| [[South Aegean]]\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| Capital: || [[Ermoupoli]]\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| Area: || 2,572 [[square kilometre|km?]] <small>[[List of the prefectures of Greece by area|Ranked 24th]]</small>\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| Elevation: || Lowest: [[Aegean Sea]]<br>Highest: [[Mount Zeus]] \n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\" valign=\"top\"\n| Inhabitants: || 119,549 <small>[[List of the prefectures of Greece by population|Ranked 26th]]</small>\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| Population density: || 43.23/km?<small>\'\'(2001)\'\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| [[ISO 3166-2:GR|ISO 3166-2]]: || GR-82\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| [[FIPS]] code: || GR49\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| [[License plates in Greece|Car designation]]: || \'\'\'EM\'\'\' (\'\'\'E\'\'\'r\'\'\'m\'\'\'oupolis)\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| [[YPES|Code for the municipalities]]: || ??xx\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| Municipalities: || 20\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| Independent communes: || 11\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| [[Area codes in Greece|Area/distance code]]: || [[Greek dialing codes beginning with 228|228x0]] \n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n|[[List of postal codes in Greece|Postal code]] || 84x xx\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| Name of inhabitants: || Cycladean \'\'sing.\'\'<br>-s \'\'pl.\'\'\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| 2-letter abbreviation/HASC: || CY<!--\n<!--|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| Address of administration: || <br>Ermoupolis 841 00\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n| Website: || [http://www..gr www..gr]<br>(also in Greek)-->\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n! colspan=\"2\" bgcolor=\"#DEFFAD\" | Map\n|---- bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"\n! colspan=\"2\" align=\"center\" | [[Image:GreeceCyclades.png|240px|Map showing Cyclades within Greece]]\n|}__NOTOC__\n\nThe \'\'\'Cyclades\'\'\', from the [[Greek language|Greek]] &#922;&#965;&#954;&#955;&#940;&#948;&#949;&#962;, (\"circular,\" modern Greek \'\'Kykl?des\'\'; see also [[List of traditional Greek place names]]) form an [[island]] group south-east of the mainland of [[Greece]]. They are a part of the [[Greek islands|vast number of islands]] which constitute the Greek [[archipelago]] in the [[Aegean Sea]]. The name was originally used to indicate those islands that formed a rough circle around the sacred island of [[Delos]] (\'\'map\'\').\n\nThe Cyclades are comprised of around 220 islands, with the major ones being [[Amorgos]], [[Anafi]], [[Andros|?ndros]], [[Antiparos]], [[Delos]], [[Ios]], [[Kea (island)|K?a]], [[Kimolos]], [[Kynthos]], [[Milos|M?los]], [[Mykonos]], [[Naxos, Greece|N?xos]], [[Paros|P?ros]], [[Pholegandros]], [[Serifos]], [[Sifnos]], [[Sikinos]], [[Siros|S?ros]], [[Tinos|T?nos]], and [[Santorini|Santorini (Thira)]]. \n \n\n[[Ermoupolis]], on S?ros, is the chief town and administrative center of the group. \nThe islands are peaks of a submerged mountainous terrain, with the exception of two [[volcano|volcanic]] islands, [[Melos]] and Santorini (Thera). The [[climate]] is generally dry and mild, but with the exception of Naxos the soil is not very fertile: agricultural produce includes [[wine]], [[fruit]], [[wheat]], [[olive oil]], and [[tobacco]]. Cooler temperatures are in higher elevations and mainly do not receive wintry weather. In transportation, the Cyclades is the only prefecture in Greece that is not linked with a state-maintained highway or a highway number. All of its roads in the island complex are secondary or provincial.\n\nThe significant Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age \'\'\'Cycladic culture\'\'\' is best known for its schematic flat female idols carved out of the islands\' pure white marble centuries before the great Middle Bronze Age (\"[[Minoan civilization|Minoan]]\") culture arose in Crete, to the south: these figures have been looted from burials to satisfy a thriving Cycladic antiquities market since the early 20th century. \n\nA distinctive Neolithic culture amalgamating Anatolian and mainland Greek elements arose in the western Aegean before 4000 BCE, based on [[emmer wheat]] and wild-type barley, sheep and goats, pigs, and tuna that were apparently speared from small boats (Rutter). Excavated sites include Saliagos and Kephala (on [[Keos]]) with signs of copper-working, Each of the small Cycladic islands could support no more than a few thousand people, though Late Cycladic boat models show that fifty oarsmen could be assembled from the scattered communities (Rutter), and when the highly organized palace-culture of Crete arose, the islands faded into insignificance, with the exception of Delos, which retained its archaic reputation as a sanctuary through the period of Classical Greek civilization.\n\nThe first archaeological excavations of the 1880s were followed by systematic work by the British School at Athens and by Christos Tsountas, who investigated burial sites on several islands in 1898-99 and coined the term \"Cycladic civilization\" Interest lagged, then picked up in the mid-20th century, as collectors competed for the modern-looking figures that seemed so similar to sculpture by [[Jean Arp]] or [[Constantin Brancusi]]. Sites were looted and a brisk trade in forgeries arose, but more accurate archaeology revealed the broad outlines of a farming and seafaring culture that had immigrated from Asia Minor \'\'ca\'\' [[5th millennium BCE|5000 BCE]]. Early Cycladic culture evolved in three phases, between \'\'ca\'\' [[33rd century BCE|3300]] - [[20th century BCE|2000 BCE]], when it was increasingly swamped in the rising influence of Minoan Crete.\nThe culture of mainland Greece contemporary with Cycladic culture is termed [[Helladic culuture|Helladic]]. \n\nIn recent decades the Cyclades islands have become extremely popular with [[Europe]]an and other [[tourist]]s, and as a result there have been problems with [[erosion]], [[pollution]], and water shortages.\n\n<!--\n==Transportation==\n\n*[[Greece Interstate |GR-]]\n\n==Communications==\n===[[List of radio stations in Greece|Radio]]===\n===[[List of Greek language television channels|Television]]===\n\n==Famous inhabitants of the Lesbos prefecture==\n\n==Islands==\n\n==Archaeological sites==-->\n\n==Area codes==\n\n:[[Greece dialing code 22810|22810]] - [[Syros]], including [[Kythnos]], [[Serifos]] and [[Syros]] islands\n:[[Greece dialing code 22820|22820]] - [[Andros]]\n:[[Greece dialing code 22830|22830]] - [[Tinos]]\n:[[Greece dialing code 22840|22840]] - [[Paros]] and [[Sifnos]] islands\n:[[Greece dialing code 22850|22850]] - [[Amorgos]] and [[Naxos, Greece|Naxos]] islands\n:[[Greece dialing code 22860|22860]] - [[Folegandros]], [[Ios]], [[Santorini]] and [[Sikinos]] islands\n:[[Greece dialing code 22870|22870]] - [[Kimolos]] and [[Milos]]\n:[[Greece dialing code 22880|22880]] - [[Kea Island]]\n:[[Greece dialing code 22890|22890]] - [[Mykonos]]\n\n==Municipalities and communities==\n\n{| border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\"\n|- bgcolor=\"#efefef\"\n! Municipality !! YPES code !! Seat !! Postal code !! Area code \n|-\n| Amorgos || 3101 || [[Amorgos]] || 840 08 || 22850-2\n|-\n| Andros || 3103 || [[Andros]] || 845 00 || 22820-2\n|-\n| Ano Syros || 3105 || [[Ano Syros]] || 841 00 || 22810-8\n|-\n| Drymalia || 3107 || [[Chalkio (Naxos), Greece|Chalkio]] || 843 02 || 22850\n|-\n| Ermoupoli || 3109 || [[Ermoupoli]] || 841 00 || 22810-2\n|-\n| [[Exomvourga]] || 3108 || [[Xinara]] Naxou || 842 00 || 22850-5\n|-\n| Ios || 3112 || [[Ios]] || 840 01 || 22860-9\n|-\n| Kea || 3113 || [[Kea Island|Kea]] || 840 02 || 22880-2\n|-\n| Korthio || 3115 || [[Ormos]] Korthiou || 845 02 || 22820-6\n|-\n| Kythnos || 3117 || [[Kythnos]] || 840 06 || 22810-3\n|-\n| Milos || 3118 || [[Milos]] || 848 00 || 22870-2\n|-\n| Mykonos || 3119 || [[Mykonos]] || 846 00 || 22890-2\n|-\n| Naxos || 3120 || [[Naxos]] || 843 00 || 22850-2\n|-\n| Paros || 3123 || [[Paros]] || 844 00 || 22840-2\n|-\n| Poseidonia || 3124 || [[Episkopi Posidonias]] || 841 00 || 22810-4\n|-\n| Serifos || 3125 || [[Serifos]] || 840 02 || 22810-5\n|-\n| Sifnos || 3127 || [[Sifnos]] || 840 03 || 22840-3\n|-\n| Thira || 3111 || [[Thira]] || 847 00 || 22860-2\n|-\n| Tinos || 3129 || [[Tinos]] || 842 00 || 22830-2\n|-\n| [[Ydrousa]] || 3130 || [[Gavrio]] || 845 01 || 22820-7\n|- bgcolor=\"#efefef\"\n! Community !! YPES code !! Seat !! Postal code !! Area code \n|-\n| Anafi || 3102 || [[Anafi]] || 840 09 || 22860-6\n|-\n| Antiparos || 3104 || [[Antiparos]] || 840 07 || 22840-6\n|-\n| Donoussa || 3106 || [[Donoussa]] || 843 00 || 22850-5\n|-\n| Folegandros || 3131 || [[Folegandros]] || 840 11 || 22860\n|-\n| Heraklia || 3110 || [[Heraklia (Cyclades), Greece|Heraklia]] || 843 00 || 22870-7\n|-\n| Kimolos || 3114 || [[Kimolos]] || 840 04 || 22870-5\n|-\n| Koufonissa || 3116 || [[Koufonissa]] || 843 00 || 22870-7\n|-\n| Oia || 3121 || [[Oia]] || 847 02 || 22860-7\n|-\n| Panormos || 3122 || [[Panormos]] || 842 01 || 22830-3\n|-\n| Schoinoussa || 3128 || [[Schoinoussa]] || 843 00 || 22870-7\n|-\n| Sikinos || 3126 || [[Sikinos]] || 840 10 || 22860-5\n|}\n\nSee also: [[List of settlements in the Cyclades prefecture]]\n\n==Further reading==\n*J. A. MacGillivray and R. L. N. Barber, editors, \'\'The Prehistoric Cyclades\'\' (Edinburgh) 1984. \n*R. L. N. Barber, \'\'The Cyclades in the Bronze Age\'\' (Iowa City) 1987.\n\n==External links==\n\n*[http://projectsx.dartmouth.edu/classics/history/bronze_age/ind… Jeremy B. Rutter, \"The Prehistoric Archaeology of the Aegean\" ]: especially Lessons 2 and 4: chronology, history, bibliography\n\n[[Category:The Cyclades|*]]\n[[Category:Archipelagoes]]\n[[Category:Islands of Greece]]\n[[Category:Prefectures of Greece]]\n\n[[da:Kykladerne]]\n[[de:Kykladen]]\n[[et:K?klaadid]]\n[[el:????????]]\n[[es:C?cladas]]\n[[fr:Cyclades]]\n[[gl:C?cladas]]\n[[it:Cicladi]]\n[[la:Cycladae]]\n[[nl:Cycladen]]\n[[pl:Cyklady]]\n[[pt:C?clades]]\n[[fi:Kykladit]]\n[[sv:Kykladerna]]','the picture of santorini is not really relevent to this article',331014,'AlbertR','20051012000833','',0,0,0,RAND(),DATE_ADD('1970-01-01', INTERVAL UNIX_TIMESTAMP() SECOND)+0,'79948987999166'),(6594,0,'Casimir_IV_Jagiello','#REDIRECT [[Casimir IV of Poland]]\n\n','*M',0,'66.47.62.78','20020517222455','',0,1,0,RAND(),DATE_ADD('1970-01-01', INTERVAL UNIX_TIMESTAMP() SECOND)+0,'79979482777544'),(6595,0,'Computer_Vision','#REDIRECT [[Computer vision]]\n','Automated conversion',0,'Conversion script','20020225155115','',0,1,1,RAND(),DATE_ADD('1970-01-01', INTERVAL UNIX_TIMESTAMP( [##### NOTE: LOTS MORE LINES OF SQL IN HERE THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR BREVITY ###### ] the Dune saga? */',0,'82.20.215.163','20051013190422','',0,0,0,RAND(),DATE_ADD('1970-01-01', INTERVAL UNIX_TIMESTAMP() SECOND)+0,'79948986809577') at org.mediawiki.importer.XmlDumpReader.readDump(Unknown Source) at org.mediawiki.dumper.Dumper.main(Unknown Source) ======================================================== All the best, Nick.