Question: Is it possible to configure the Windows Azure CLI tools without using a .publishsettings file? The 'azure account -h' command lists only options for downloading and importing a .publishsettings file.

Answer: 
I would recommend learning how to use [mysqldump](http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2008/09/backup-and-restore-mysql-database-using-mysqldump/) on the command line, which is almost certainly what phpMyAdmin is using under the hood to do your database export. If you're using `mysqldump`, you can transfer the dump file via SSH (or whatever) and you won't have to deal with max upload sizes or anything like that.

In general, it's good to be proficient with low-level tools so you aren't dependent on web GUIs to do stuff.

Of course, my comments are useless if you're on shared hosting without shell access, and for all I know you already know how to use `mysqldump`, and you're being forced to use phpMyAdmin against your will due to hosting environment constraints.
This might help: <http://support.tigertech.net/mysql-duplicate>

It says you need to click on the database name on the left side before exporting, for no apparent reason, or else you won't be able to import the exported file into a new database.

Also, you have to cut your input files into small pieces. The UI says less than 50MB. In my experience, 10 MB won't work. Don't know just how big a file can be, but something less than 10 MB.