MySQL in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition

Name

UPDATE

Synopsis

UPDATE [LOW_PRIORITY] [IGNORE] table
SET column=expression[, ...] 
[WHERE condition] 
[ORDER BY {column|expression|position} [ASC|DESC], ...] 
[LIMIT {[offset,] count|count OFFSET offset}]

UPDATE [LOW_PRIORITY] [IGNORE] table_reference 
     SET column=expression[, ...] 
     [WHERE condition]

This statement changes existing rows of data in a table. The first syntax shown updates only one table per statement. The second syntax can be used to update or reference data in multiple tables from one statement. Explanations of both types of statements and examples of their use follow.

Single table UPDATE

UPDATE [LOW_PRIORITY] [IGNORE] table 
SET column=expression[, ...] 
[WHERE condition] 
[ORDER BY {column|expression|position} [ASC|DESC], ...] 
[LIMIT {[offset,] count|count OFFSET offset}]

This syntax changes a single table. The SET clause specifies each column that should change and the value to which it is to be set, separated by an equals sign. The value can be a static value or an expression. If a column in a table is defined as NOT NULL, and if an UPDATE statement then sets its value to NULL, the default value for the column will be used if it is available; otherwise, an error is generated.

The LOW_PRIORITY keyword may be used to instruct the server to wait until all other queries related to the table in which data is to be added are completed before running the UPDATE statement. When the table is free, it will be locked for the UPDATE statement and thereby prevent concurrent data updates ...