I downloaded a back-up file that was sent to me by a colleague and I need to write out a schema from my own MySql database in order for me to be able to retrieve the information that is inside the back-up

can u send the backup file to me, so i can help u

surendran
(Anything is Possible)
http://www.suren.info
http://ssuren.spaces.msn.com

You only need the mysql GUI Client tool and import the backup but only if the format is supported(you don't need to create the schema).

http://FindaJobSearch.com

You already have the tools to do this. You don't need to send your DB to anybody.

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/mysqldump.html

If you want to dump only the schema, you just use a command (from a command line, of course) such as

mysqldump --no_data yourDBName

or, if the DB is user/password protected as it should be:

mysqldump --no_data -u yourUserName -pyourPassword yourDBName

The MySQL docs take a little getting used to, but once you learn your way around, most everything you need is in them.