diff --git a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/clone_mysql_database.sh b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/clone_mysql_database.sh
index 03c17e8d..8feac02c 100755
--- a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/clone_mysql_database.sh
+++ b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/clone_mysql_database.sh
@@ -1,10 +1,19 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-# bash declaration dependencies
-source parse_property_file_functions.sh
-source mysql_command_line_functions.sh
-
-# non-local environment variables in use
+# load dependencies
+unset this_script_dir
+this_script_dir="$(dirname "$(readlink -f $0)")"
+if ! source "$this_script_dir/parse_property_file_functions.sh" ; then
+    echo "Error : unable to load dependency : $this_script_dir/parse_property_file_functions.sh" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if ! source "$this_script_dir/mysql_command_line_functions.sh" ; then
+    echo "Error : unable to load dependency : $this_script_dir/mysql_command_line_functions.sh" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+unset this_script_dir
+
+# other non-local environment variables in use
 unset my_properties
 unset database_table_list
 unset source_database_name
@@ -32,15 +41,16 @@ function initialize_main() {
         usage
         return 1
     fi
-    if ! initialize_mysql_command_line_functions ; then # this also purges the mysql credentials from the environment for security
+    if ! initialize_mysql_command_line_functions ; then
         usage
         return 1
     fi
+    remove_credentials_from_properties my_properties # no longer needed - remove for security
     if [ "$database_to_clone_tables_from" == "blue" ] ; then
-        source_database_name="${my_properties['blue_database_name']}"
+        source_database_name="${my_properties['mysql_blue_database_name']}"
     else
         if [ "$database_to_clone_tables_from" == "green" ] ; then
-            source_database_name="${my_properties['green_database_name']}"
+            source_database_name="${my_properties['mysql_green_database_name']}"
         else
             echo "Error : database_to_clone_tables_from must be one of {blue, green}" >&2
             usage
@@ -48,10 +58,10 @@ function initialize_main() {
         fi
     fi
     if [ "$database_to_clone_tables_to" == "blue" ] ; then
-        destination_database_name="${my_properties['blue_database_name']}"
+        destination_database_name="${my_properties['mysql_blue_database_name']}"
     else
         if [ "$database_to_clone_tables_to" == "green" ] ; then
-            destination_database_name="${my_properties['green_database_name']}"
+            destination_database_name="${my_properties['mysql_green_database_name']}"
         else
             echo "Error : database_to_clone_tables_to must be one of {blue, green}" >&2
             usage
diff --git a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/copy_mysql_database_tables_to_clickhouse.sh b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/copy_mysql_database_tables_to_clickhouse.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..770cdba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/copy_mysql_database_tables_to_clickhouse.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# load dependencies
+unset this_script_dir
+this_script_dir="$(dirname "$(readlink -f $0)")"
+if ! source "$this_script_dir/parse_property_file_functions.sh" ; then
+    echo "Error : unable to load dependency : $this_script_dir/parse_property_file_functions.sh" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if ! source "$this_script_dir/sling_command_line_functions.sh" ; then
+    echo "Error : unable to load dependency : $this_script_dir/sling_command_line_functions.sh" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+unset this_script_dir
+
+function usage() {
+    echo "usage:"
+}
+
+# other non-local environment variables in use
+unset my_properties
+unset database_table_list
+unset clickhouse_destination_database_name
+unset mysql_source_database_name
+declare -A my_properties
+declare -a database_table_list
+declare -A table_has_been_copied_and_verified
+clickhouse_destination_database_name=""
+mysql_source_database_name=""
+database_table_list_filepath="$(pwd)/cmd_database_table_list.txt"
+
+function initialize_main() {
+    if ! [ "$database_to_transfer" == "blue" ] && ! [ "$database_to_transfer" == "green" ] ; then
+        echo "Error : argument for database_to_transfer must be either 'blue' or 'green'" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    if ! parse_property_file "$properties_filepath" my_properties ; then
+        usage
+        return 1
+    fi
+    if [ "$database_to_transfer" == "blue" ] ; then
+        clickhouse_destination_database_name="${my_properties['clickhouse_blue_database_name']}"
+        mysql_source_database_name="${my_properties['mysql_blue_database_name']}"
+    else
+        clickhouse_destination_database_name="${my_properties['clickhouse_green_database_name']}"
+        mysql_source_database_name="${my_properties['mysql_green_database_name']}"
+    fi
+    if ! initialize_sling_command_line_functions "$database_to_transfer" ; then
+        usage
+        return 1
+    fi
+    remove_credentials_from_properties my_properties
+}
+
+function destination_database_exists_and_is_empty() {
+    if ! clickhouse_database_exists "$clickhouse_destination_database_name" ; then
+        echo "Error : could not proceed with database copying because destination database does not exist: $clickhouse_destination_database_name" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    if ! clickhouse_database_is_empty "$clickhouse_destination_database_name" ; then
+        echo "Error : could not proceed with database copying because destination database is not empty: $clickhouse_destination_database_name" >&2
+        return 2
+    fi
+    return 0
+}
+
+function set_database_table_list() {
+    local statement="SELECT table_name FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.tables WHERE table_type='BASE TABLE' AND table_schema='$mysql_source_database_name'"
+    rm -f "$database_table_list_filepath"
+    if ! execute_sql_statement_via_sling "$statement" "mysql" "$database_table_list_filepath" ; then
+        echo "Warning : failed to execute mysql statement : $statement" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    unset sql_data_array
+    if ! set_sql_data_array_from_file "$database_table_list_filepath" 0 ; then
+        return 1
+    fi
+    database_table_list=(${sql_data_array[@]})
+    return 0
+}
+
+function shutdown_main_and_clean_up() {
+    #TODO restore
+    #shutdown_sling_command_line_functions
+    delete_output_stream_files
+    unset my_properties
+    unset database_table_list
+    unset table_has_been_copied_and_verified
+    unset database_table_list_filepath
+    unset record_count_comparison_filepath
+}
+
+function successful_copy_verified_flag_has_been_set() {
+    local table_name=$1
+    if [ "${table_has_been_copied_and_verified[$table_name]}" == "true" ] ; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+    return 1
+}
+
+function set_successful_copy_verified_flag() {
+    local table_name=$1
+    table_has_been_copied_and_verified[$table_name]="true"
+}
+
+function copy_all_database_tables_with_sling() {
+    local pos=0
+    local exit_status=0
+    while [ $pos -lt ${#database_table_list[@]} ] ; do
+        table_name="${database_table_list[$pos]}"
+        if successful_copy_verified_flag_has_been_set "$table_name" ; then
+            # table successfully copied on a previous pass
+            continue
+        fi
+        echo "attempting to copy data in table $table_name using sling"
+        if ! transfer_table_data_via_sling "$mysql_source_database_name" "$clickhouse_destination_database_name" "$table_name" "TODOdeletefile" ; then
+            echo "Warning : failure to copy table $table_name" >&2
+            exit_status=1 # any failed table copies cause an eventual failure status to be returned
+        else
+            if ! destination_table_matches_source_table "$table_name" ; then
+                echo "Warning : failure to verify copy of table $table_name" >&2
+                exit_status=1 # any failed table copies cause an eventual failure status to be returned
+            else
+                set_successful_copy_verified_flag "$table_name"
+            fi
+        fi
+        pos=$(($pos+1))
+    done
+    return $exit_status
+}
+
+function copy_all_database_tables_with_sling_allow_retry() {
+    local remaining_try_count=3
+    while [ $remaining_try_count -ne 0 ] ; do
+        #TODO record iteration start timestamp
+        if copy_all_database_tables_with_sling ; then
+            return 0
+        fi
+        #TODO pause for the minimum try duration (5 minutes?)
+        remaining_try_count=$((remaining_try_count-1))
+    done
+    return 1
+}
+
+function main() {
+    local properties_filepath=$1
+    local database_to_transfer=$2
+    local exit_status=0
+    if ! initialize_main "$properties_filepath" "$database_to_transfer" ||
+            ! destination_database_exists_and_is_empty ||
+            ! set_database_table_list ||
+            ! copy_all_database_tables_with_sling_allow_retry ; then
+        exit_status=1
+    fi
+    shutdown_main_and_clean_up
+    return $exit_status
+}
+
+main "$1" "$2"
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/manage_cbioportal_databases_tool.properties b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/manage_cbioportal_databases_tool.properties
index c05e2a44..43a15449 100644
--- a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/manage_cbioportal_databases_tool.properties
+++ b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/manage_cbioportal_databases_tool.properties
@@ -18,10 +18,18 @@
 mysql_server_username=
 mysql_server_password=
 mysql_server_host_name=
+mysql_server_port=
 mysql_server_additional_args=
-disk_capacity_mysql_data_filesystem_megabytes=
-disk_usage_invisible_to_mysql_user_megabytes=
-disk_consumption_anticipated_during_import_megabytes=
-blue_database_name=
-green_database_name=
-shelved_database_name=
+mysql_server_disk_capacity_megabytes=
+mysql_server_disk_usage_invisible_to_user_megabytes=
+mysql_server_disk_consumption_anticipated_during_import_megabytes=
+mysql_blue_database_name=
+mysql_green_database_name=
+mysql_shelved_database_name=
+clickhouse_server_username=
+clickhouse_server_password=
+clickhouse_server_host_name=
+clickhouse_server_port=
+clickhouse_server_additional_args=
+clickhouse_blue_database_name=
+clickhouse_green_database_name=
diff --git a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/mysql_command_line_functions.sh b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/mysql_command_line_functions.sh
index 40e395fb..99a6bbc1 100644
--- a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/mysql_command_line_functions.sh
+++ b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/mysql_command_line_functions.sh
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ function set_sql_data_field_value_from_record() {
     while [ $pos -lt $record_string_length ] ; do
         local character_at_position="${record_string:$pos:1}"
         # a newline should occur at the end of the read line, and only there. Embedded newlines are encoded with '\n'
-        if [ "$character_at_position" == "$NL" ] ; then
+        if [ "$character_at_position" == "$LF" ] ; then
             field_index=$((field_index+1))
             if [ "$field_index" -gt "$column_number" ] ; then
                 # field has been completely parsed
diff --git a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/parse_property_file_functions.sh b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/parse_property_file_functions.sh
index 37f5a738..cee767db 100644
--- a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/parse_property_file_functions.sh
+++ b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/parse_property_file_functions.sh
@@ -177,3 +177,15 @@ function parse_property_file() {
     done < $property_file_path
     return 0
 }
+
+function remove_credentials_from_properties() {
+    associative_array_name=$1 # array names must be proper identifiers (no spaces)
+    if ! variable_name_refers_to_an_associative_array $associative_array_name ; then
+        echo "error: variable name '$associative_array_name' was passed to function parse_property_file() but was not available in the environment, or did not refer to a created associative array." >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    for key_name in "mysql_server_username" "mysql_server_password" "clickhouse_server_username"  "clickhouse_server_password" ; do
+        unset_command="unset $associative_array_name['$key_name']"
+        eval $unset_command
+    done
+}
diff --git a/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/sling_command_line_functions.sh b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/sling_command_line_functions.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e60cefc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/clickhouse_import_support/sling_command_line_functions.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,251 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+unset configured_sling_env_dir_path
+unset configured_sling_env_file_path
+unset sql_data_field_value
+unset sql_data_array
+configured_sling_env_dir_path=""
+configured_sling_env_file_path=""
+sql_data_field_value=""
+declare -a sql_data_array
+sling_database_exists_filepath="$(pwd)/sclf_database_exists.txt"
+sling_database_table_list_filepath="$(pwd)/sclf_database_table_list.txt"
+
+function write_selected_mysql_connection_to_env_file() {
+    local env_file=$1
+    local database_to_transfer=$2
+    local db_name=""
+    if [ "$database_to_transfer" == "blue" ] ; then
+        db_name="${my_properties['mysql_blue_database_name']}"
+    else
+        db_name="${my_properties['mysql_green_database_name']}"
+    fi 
+    echo "  MYSQL_DATABASE_CONNECTION:" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    type: mysql" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    database: $db_name" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    host: ${my_properties['mysql_server_host_name']}" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    password: ${my_properties['mysql_server_password']}" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    port: \"${my_properties['mysql_server_port']}\"" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    user: ${my_properties['mysql_server_username']}" >> "$env_file"
+    echo >> "$env_file"
+}
+
+function write_selected_clickhouse_connection_to_env_file() {
+    local env_file=$1
+    local database_to_transfer=$2
+    local db_name=""
+    if [ "$database_to_transfer" == "blue" ] ; then
+        db_name="${my_properties['clickhouse_blue_database_name']}"
+    else
+        db_name="${my_properties['clickhouse_green_database_name']}"
+    fi 
+    local uname="${my_properties['clickhouse_server_username']}"
+    local pw="${my_properties['clickhouse_server_password']}"
+    local clickhost="${my_properties['clickhouse_server_host_name']}"
+    local clickport="${my_properties['clickhouse_server_port']}"
+    local additional_args="${my_properties['clickhouse_server_additional_args']}"
+    echo "  CLICKHOUSE_DATABASE_CONNECTION:" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    type: clickhouse" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    database: $db_name" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    host: ${my_properties['clickhouse_server_host_name']}" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    password: ${my_properties['clickhouse_server_password']}" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    port: \"${my_properties['clickhouse_server_port']}\"" >> "$env_file"
+    echo "    user: ${my_properties['clickhouse_server_username']}" >> "$env_file"
+#    echo "    http_url: https://$uname:$pw@$clickhost:${clickport}/${db_name}$additional_args" >> "$env_file"
+    echo >> "$env_file"
+}
+
+function write_sling_env_file() {
+    local database_to_transfer=$1
+    configured_sling_env_dir_path="$(pwd)/sling_env_$(date "+%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S")"
+    configured_sling_env_file_path="$configured_sling_env_dir_path/env.yaml"
+    local env_dir="$configured_sling_env_dir_path"
+    local env_file="$configured_sling_env_file_path"
+    if ! rm -rf "$env_dir" || ! mkdir "$env_dir" ; then
+        echo "Error : unable to create sling env.yaml subdirectory $env_dir"
+        return 1
+    fi
+    chmod 700 "$env_dir"
+    echo "# Environment Credentials for Sling CLI" > "$env_file"
+    chmod 600 "$env_file"
+    echo >> "$env_file"
+    echo "# See https://docs.slingdata.io/sling-cli/environment" >> "$env_file"
+    echo >> "$env_file"
+    echo "connections:" >> "$env_file"
+    write_selected_mysql_connection_to_env_file "$env_file" "$database_to_transfer"
+    write_selected_clickhouse_connection_to_env_file "$env_file" "$database_to_transfer"
+    echo "variables: {}" >> "$env_file"
+    if ! [ "$(cat $env_file | wc -l)" == "22" ] ; then
+        echo "Error : could not successfully write default mysql properties to file $env_file" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    return 0
+}
+
+function initialize_sling_command_line_functions() {
+    local database_to_transfer=$1
+    write_sling_env_file "$database_to_transfer"
+}
+
+function shutdown_sling_command_line_functions() {
+    rm -f "$configured_sling_env_file_path"
+    rmdir "$configured_sling_env_dir_path"
+    rm -f "$sling_database_exists_filepath"
+    rm -f "$sling_database_table_list_filepath"
+    unset configured_sling_env_dir_path
+    unset configured_sling_env_file_path
+    unset sql_data_field_value
+    unset sql_data_array
+    unset sling_database_exists_filepath
+    unset sling_database_table_list_filepath
+}
+
+function execute_sql_statement_via_sling() {
+    local statement=$1
+    local db_server=$2 # must be 'mysql' or 'clickhouse'
+    local output_filepath=$3
+    local sling_connection=""
+    if [ "$db_server" == "mysql" ] ; then
+        sling_connection="MYSQL_DATABASE_CONNECTION"
+    else
+        if [ "$db_server" == "clickhouse" ] ; then
+            sling_connection="CLICKHOUSE_DATABASE_CONNECTION"
+        else
+            echo "Error : db_server argument to execute_sql_statement_via_list must be 'mysql' or 'clickhouse'. Received : $db_server"
+        fi
+    fi
+    if [ -e "$output_filepath" ] && ! rm -f "$output_filepath" ; then
+        echo "Error : could not overwrite existing output file $output_filepath when executing mysql statment $statement" >&2
+    fi
+    (
+        export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=/dev/null ;
+        export SLING_HOME_DIR="$configured_sling_env_dir_path" ;
+        sling run --src-conn "$sling_connection" --src-stream "$statement" --stdout > "$output_filepath"
+    )
+}
+
+function transfer_table_data_via_sling() {
+    local mysql_source_database_name=$1
+    local clickhouse_destination_database_name=$2
+    local table_name=$3
+    local output_filepath=$4
+    (
+        export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=/dev/null ;
+        export SLING_HOME_DIR="$configured_sling_env_dir_path" ;
+        export SLING_ALLOW_EMPTY="TRUE" ;
+        sling run \
+            --src-conn MYSQL_DATABASE_CONNECTION \
+            --src-stream "$mysql_source_database_name.$table_name" \
+            --tgt-conn CLICKHOUSE_DATABASE_CONNECTION \
+            --tgt-object "$clickhouse_destination_database_name.$table_name" \
+            --stdout \
+            > "$output_filepath"
+    )
+}
+
+# set_sql_data_field_value_from_record
+# This function currently assumes that all queries are going to produce simple results
+# which do not cause the quotation of value fields. Output from sling is in comma separated
+# value format, so any value which contains a comma, or which contains a quotation mark or
+# any of the other reserved characters (such as embedded newlines, embedded quotation marks, etc)
+# Currently the only anticipated use of this function is for querying cBioPortal table names
+# or record counts from tables. If use of this function expands to more general value retrieval
+# it may be necessary to add proper parsing of quoted values. The presence of quotation marks
+# on the line currently cuases a failure to parse.
+function set_sql_data_field_value_from_record() {
+    local record_string=$1
+    local column_number=$2
+    unset sql_data_field_value
+    local record_string_length=${#record_string}
+    local LF=$'\n'
+    local pos=0
+    local field_index=0
+    local parsed_value=""
+    while [ $pos -lt $record_string_length ] ; do
+        local character_at_position="${record_string:$pos:1}"
+        # no quoted values allowed
+        if [ "$character_at_position" == "\"" ] ; then
+            echo "Error : encountered quotation mark (not yet handled) while looking for column $column_number during parsing returned database record : $record_string" >&2
+            return 1
+        fi
+        # a newline should occur at the end of the read line, and only there.
+        if [ "$character_at_position" == "$LF" ] ; then
+            field_index=$((field_index+1))
+            if [ "$field_index" -gt "$column_number" ] ; then
+                # field has been completely parsed
+                sql_data_field_value="$parsed_value"
+                return 0
+            fi
+            echo "Error : unable to locate column $column_number while parsing returned database record : $record_string" >&2
+            return 1
+        fi
+        # a comma character delimits the beginning of a new field, and is not part of the field.
+        if [ "$character_at_position" == "," ] ; then
+            field_index=$((field_index+1))
+            if [ "$field_index" -gt "$column_number" ] ; then
+                # field has been completely parsed
+                sql_data_field_value="$parsed_value"
+                return 0
+            fi
+            pos=$(($pos+1))
+            continue
+        fi
+        # pass over the current (plain) character
+        pos=$(($pos+1))
+        if [ "$field_index" -eq "$column_number" ] ; then
+            parsed_value+="$character_at_position"
+        fi
+    done
+    #TODO : add removing of flanking whitespace
+    sql_data_field_value="$parsed_value"
+}
+
+function set_sql_data_array_from_file() {
+    local filepath=$1
+    local column_number=$2
+    unset sql_data_array
+    if ! [ -r "$filepath" ] ; then
+        echo "Error : could not read output mysql query results from file : $filepath" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    local headers_have_been_parsed=0
+    sql_data_array=()
+    while IFS='' read -r line ; do
+        if [ "$headers_have_been_parsed" -eq 0 ] ; then
+            headers_have_been_parsed=1
+        else
+            set_sql_data_field_value_from_record "$line" "$column_number"
+            sql_data_array+=("$sql_data_field_value")
+        fi
+    done < "$filepath"
+}
+
+function clickhouse_database_exists() {
+    local database_name=$1
+    local statement="SELECT COUNT(*) FROM system.databases WHERE name = '$database_name'"
+    if ! execute_sql_statement_via_sling "$statement" "clickhouse" "$sling_database_exists_filepath" ; then
+        echo "Warning : unable to determine if database $database_name exists using : $statement" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    set_sql_data_array_from_file "$sling_database_exists_filepath" 0
+    if [[ "${sql_data_array[0]}" -ne 1 ]] ; then
+        echo "Warning : database $database_name not present on database server, or there are multiple listings for that name" >&2
+        return 2
+    fi
+    return 0
+}
+
+function clickhouse_database_is_empty() {
+    local database_name=$1
+    local statement="SELECT COUNT(*) FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.tables WHERE table_schema='$database_name'"
+    if ! execute_sql_statement_via_sling "$statement" "clickhouse" "$sling_database_table_list_filepath" ; then
+        echo "Warning : unable to retrieve table/view list from database $database_name using : $statement" >&2
+        return 1
+    fi
+    set_sql_data_array_from_file "$sling_database_table_list_filepath" 0
+    if [[ "${sql_data_array[0]}" -ne 0 ]] ; then
+        echo "Warning : database $database_name has tables or views (is not empty as required)" >&2
+        return 2
+    fi
+    return 0
+}