def export(self, sql_client, merge_rule='skip', coerce=False):

        '''
            a method to export all the records in table to another table

        :param sql_client: class object with sql client methods
        :param merge_rule: string with name of rule to adopt for pre-existing records
        :param coerce: boolean to enable migration even if table schemas don't match
        :return: string with exit message

        NOTE:   available merge rules include: overwrite, skip and upsert
        '''

        title = '%s.export' % self.__class__.__name__

    # validate sql client
        method_list = [ 'list', 'create', 'read', 'update', 'delete', 'remove', 'export', 'exists', '_construct_inserts', '_parse_columns', '_compare_columns', 'table', 'session', 'table_name', 'database_name' ]
        for method in method_list:
            if getattr(sql_client, method, None) == None:
                from labpack.parsing.grammar import join_words
                raise ValueError('%s(sql_client=...) must be a client object with %s methods.' % (title, join_words(method_list)))
    
    # verbosity
        export_name = self.table_name
        import_name = sql_client.table_name
        print('Migrating %s table in %s database to %s table in %s database' % (export_name, self.database_name, import_name, sql_client.database_name), end='', flush=True)

    # determine differences between tables
        export_columns = self._parse_columns()
        import_columns = sql_client._parse_columns()
        add_columns, remove_columns, rename_columns, retype_columns, resize_columns = self._compare_columns(import_columns, export_columns)
        if remove_columns or retype_columns or resize_columns:
            if not coerce:
                raise ValueError("Migration from %s to %s prevented because schemas don't match and data could be lost." % (export_name, import_name))

    # define upsert reconstructor
        def _reconstruct_upsert(update_kwargs):
            record_details = {}
            current_details = record_details
            for key, value in update_kwargs.items():
                record_key = key
                record_value = value
                record_segments = record_key.split('.')
                for i in range(len(record_segments)):
                    segment = record_segments[i]
                    if i + 1 < len(record_segments):
                        if segment not in record_details.keys():
                            current_details[segment] = {}
                        current_details = current_details[segment]
                    else:
                        if isinstance(record_value, bytes):
                            current_details[segment] = pickle.loads(record_value)
                        else:
                            current_details[segment] = record_value
                current_details = record_details
            return record_details

    # migrate records from old to new
        list_statement = self.table.select()
        count = 0
        added = 0
        skipped = 0
        upserted = 0
        overwritten = 0
        for record in self.session.execute(list_statement).fetchall():
            record_details = self._reconstruct_record(record)
            primary_key = record_details['id']
            if not sql_client.exists(primary_key):
                create_kwargs = self._construct_inserts(record, import_columns, rename_columns, retype_columns, resize_columns)
                insert_statement = sql_client.table.insert().values(**create_kwargs)
                sql_client.session.execute(insert_statement)
                added += 1
            elif merge_rule == 'overwrite':
                sql_client.delete(primary_key)
                create_kwargs = self._construct_inserts(record, import_columns, rename_columns, retype_columns, resize_columns)
                insert_statement = sql_client.table.insert().values(**create_kwargs)
                sql_client.session.execute(insert_statement)
                overwritten += 1
            elif merge_rule == 'skip':
                skipped += 1
            elif merge_rule == 'upsert':
                update_kwargs = self._construct_inserts(record, import_columns, rename_columns, retype_columns, resize_columns)
                update_details = _reconstruct_upsert(update_kwargs)
                sql_client.update(update_details)
                upserted += 1
            count = added + overwritten + skipped + upserted
            if not count % 10:
                print('.', end='', flush=True)

    # handle verbosity
        print(' done.')

    # report outcome
        plural = ''
        skip_insert = ''
        overwrite_insert = ''
        upsert_insert = ''
        if added != 1:
            plural = 's'
        if skipped > 0:
            skip_plural = ''
            if skipped > 1:
                skip_plural = 's'
            skip_insert = ' %s record%s skipped to avoid overwrite.' % (str(skipped), skip_plural)
        if overwritten > 0:
            overwrite_plural = ''
            if overwritten > 1:
                overwrite_plural = 's'
            overwrite_insert = ' %s record%s overwritten.' % (str(overwritten), overwrite_plural)
        if upserted > 0:
            upsert_plural = ''
            if upserted > 1:
                upsert_plural = 's'
            upsert_insert = ' %s record%s upserted.' % (str(upserted), upsert_plural)
        exit_msg = '%s record%s added to %s.%s%s%s' % (str(added), plural, import_name, skip_insert, overwrite_insert, upsert_insert)
        print(exit_msg)

        return count
a method to export all the records in table to another table

        :param sql_client: class object with sql client methods
        :param merge_rule: string with name of rule to adopt for pre-existing records
        :param coerce: boolean to enable migration even if table schemas don't match
        :return: string with exit message

        NOTE:   available merge rules include: overwrite, skip and upsert