The error appears when a disabled single-letter command-line option is supplied to a MySQL utility or server started from the shell.
MySQL Error 56: EE_USING_DISABLED_SHORT_OPTION occurs when you launch a MySQL executable with a short option (for example, -p) that the binary was compiled or configured to reject. Re-enable the option in the MySQL configuration file or switch to the allowed long form to resolve it.
%s: Option '-%c' was used, but is disabled. EE_USING_DISABLED_SHORT_OPTION was added in 8.0.13.
Error 56 with condition name EE_USING_DISABLED_SHORT_OPTION is returned by MySQL executables when you start them with a single dash option that has been disabled at compile or runtime.
The message template is “%s: Option '-%c' was used, but is disabled.”
Most users see the error in the client shell, mysqld_safe, or during automated scripts after upgrading to MySQL 8.0.13 or later, the version where this diagnostic was introduced.
Disabled short options trigger the error immediately, preventing the program from continuing with potentially unsafe defaults.
MySQL’s internal option processing notices the flag and halts execution to protect data consistency and security.
Upgrades can silently disable legacy shortcuts or apply a new compiled-in minimal option set, leaving old deployment scripts incompatible.
Locate the offending option in your startup command or script.
Replace the short form with its fully spelled-out long version or reactivate the short option in the my.cnf file under the relevant program group.
Test the corrected command locally, then automate the change across CI pipelines and orchestrators to prevent recurrence.
Interactive login scripts often keep “mysql -p” for password prompts. Substitute “mysql --password” or move credentials to a secure option file.
Systemd service files created before 8.0.13 may contain “--skip-grant-tables -S”.
Replace disabled flags with their long counterparts like “--socket”.
Audit startup scripts after every version upgrade. Use --help to list accepted options and migrate deprecated flags promptly.
Store configuration in my.cnf rather than command lines, letting MySQL override only the options it still supports.
EE_UNKNOWN_OPTION signals mistyped or unsupported options. Verify spelling and case.
EE_CANT_READ_SETTINGS occurs when option files are unreadable. Fix permissions or paths.
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The upgrade disables several legacy one-character flags to close security gaps, instantly breaking scripts that rely on them.
Custom or distro packages may exclude rarely used options to shrink the binary size. Using those flags triggers the error.
An option file can still hold a short form that has become invalid.
mysqld reads it and fails during parsing.
Aliases or wrapper scripts may prepend a forbidden flag unintentionally, so the direct command works while the alias fails.
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No data is modified. The program exits before any action, preserving database integrity.
Use the "loose-" prefix in my.cnf, but the flag will still be ignored. Rewrite scripts instead for long-term stability.
No. Any MySQL utility that performs option parsing, such as mysqlpump or mysqladmin, can raise the error.
Galaxy’s AI copilot flags deprecated options in launch scripts, suggests correct long forms, and stores vetted connection commands, preventing Error 56.
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