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I have MySQL installed on an Ubuntu machine.

I added this line in /etc/mysql/my.cnf

group_concat_max_len=15360

But there is no effect. Every time I restart mysql, the value is set to 1,024. I have to manually run

SET GLOBAL group_concat_max_len=15360

...every time I start up mysql.

Why is my.cnf not working the way I thought it should? Thank you

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2
  • This always happens. It's either 1) wrong file, or 2) something else below had overrwritten it.
    – Pacerier
    Apr 18, 2015 at 12:59
  • 1
    @Pacerier or the directive was added under the wrong group header, as in the accepted answer.
    – Buttle Butkus
    Apr 30, 2015 at 19:02

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
34

If you have the setting already in my.cnf or my.cfg, and a restart did not bring about the change you expected, you may just have the setting placed in the wrong location.

Make sure the setting is under the [mysqld] group header

[mysqld]
group_concat_max_len=15360

then you can restart mysqld without worry

BTW @gbn may be more correct in this instance because you cannot use commas in the numerical settings for my.cnf (+1 for @gbn)

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2
  • I spent hours debugging before I realized my group_concat_max_len was reset. Now I will not have to worry about that happening again. Thanks so much. There was no setting for group_concat_max_len by default in my.cnf, so I just added it to the bottom, under [isamchk]. OOPS. Thanks so much!
    – Buttle Butkus
    Jan 6, 2012 at 11:01
  • It bugs me so much that some settings use dashes and some use underscores in the MySQL config
    – Brian Leishman
    Jul 3, 2017 at 20:31
5

Use group_concat_max_len=15360 without the thousands separator

See the docs

If this doesn't persist, then you need to identify the correct my.cnf or my.cfg used by your installation

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1
  • Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it was my mistake putting the ',' in my question but not in the my.cnf. Rolando actually was right. I had no idea that the location for group_concat_max_len mattered in my.cnf.
    – Buttle Butkus
    Jan 6, 2012 at 10:59
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Here is what I do:
Open MySQL Workbench and select the connection you want to manipulate if you have more than one, then click Server Administration - Advanced - Various, select group_concat_max_len and set your long desired value.
Remember to restart MySql.
Kind regards, Ola Balstad.

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5
  • 1
    That's not setting a permanent setting.
    – Dennis Kaarsemaker
    Mar 23, 2013 at 10:24
  • It is permanent!!! Please check before you comment.
    – Ola Balstad
    Mar 24, 2013 at 4:55
  • What is mysql workbench? It sounds like your answer applies only to a particular API for MySQL. That's probably why you're getting downvoted. (I didn't downvote you, by the way)
    – Buttle Butkus
    Mar 25, 2013 at 2:10
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    MySql Workbench is a useful API tool that comes with the MySQL Community Server when you download it, i.e with the latest version 5.6
    – Ola Balstad
    Mar 25, 2013 at 7:12
  • NB!! Do not get discouraged by my rating. This is a quick and good solution to a common problem.
    – Ola Balstad
    Mar 26, 2013 at 8:55

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