How to use wp db export and import together?

Question

When I use WP-CLI I'm having some issues with the wp db export and wp db import commands.

I have a local site on my desktop that I would like to migrate to my laptop so I can work on it. So I go on my desktop, navigate to the appropriate directory and type wp db export. It is a success and creates the file: ccv3-2018-07-12-4e523fb.sql

Now here is the part I don't get. I copy paste the SQL file that it creates on my desktop to my laptops directory where the local website resides. I type wp db import ccv3-2018-07-12-4e523fb.sql --authors=skip and then I get:

Starting the import process... Error: This does not appear to be a WXR file, missing/invalid WXR version number

After googling this issue it looks like the file it's trying to import should be an XML file, but after looking at the file I get when I use wp db export reveals an actual SQL file.

So what gives? What should I be doing to migrate databases with WP-CLI?

Answer 1

Seems you are mixing wp db import with wp import.

wp import indeed expects an WordPress Extended RSS (WXR) file as input. Whereas wp db import doesn't know of an --authors option.

Just use wp db import ccv3-2018-07-12-4e523fb.sql and everything should be fine.