Re: [libreoffice-users] Connecting LO Base to an SQL DB

Ian,
It sounds like you are getting close, but there is still something 
blocking your access to the MySQL server (mysqld).  All of these 
symptoms sure sound like the server is not looking at the localhost port.

Ian Whitfield wrote:
<snip>
> I do _NOT_ have this file in my system. I did a search and found this ...
>
> # Shorewall version 4 - MySQL Macro
> #
<snip>
I am not familiar with your "Shorewall" system. I doubt this is 
related.  There are many distributions of Linux and each one has its own 
way of configuring the processes.  What I described is from Slackware 
Linux.  Your's must be different, but I included the Slackware files in 
case they may point you in a good direction.
Here are some things to try:

  1. Look at "/etc/my.cfg", the mysqld configuration file.  The mysqld
     server reads this file for configuration information when it boots
     up.  If there is a "skip-networking" entry in there, comment it
     out with a "#" in column 1.  Then restart mysqld or reboot.  If
     you can't find the my.cfg file in /etc, then search for it
     elsewhere on your system.

  2. ping localhost
     You should get responses.  (Ctrl-c will stop ping.)  If you get
     something like "destination unreachable" or "unknown host", then
     localhost is not configured on your system.  That could hang up
     Base.  Linux installation should do this for you, but maybe your
     distro does not.  If it isn't there, you could add it to "/etc/hosts":

         127.0.0.1   localhost

     Your system may need a reboot.  You could try pinging localhost
     again after you add it to /etc/hosts to determine if you need to
     reboot.

I highly recommend reading the Section "Post-Installation Setup and 
Testing" in the MySQL Reference Manual.  This document is a good source 
for configuring and testing MySQL.  http://dev.mysql.com/doc/

<snip>
> Started Base and selected my old DB to get to the Edit screen - BUT 
> when I go there "Connection Type" is grayed out!!
> Tried again selecting the new SQL DB but again the "Connection Type" 
> is grayed out!!
I don't understand what you mean by "new SQL DB"?  Did you try creating 
a new Base database connection with the wizard?

Is edit -> database -> Properties grayed out too?
You can set up the connection host and port in edit -> database -> 
Properties -> Additional Settings.

   Host name should be localhost.
   Port number should be 3306
   MySQL JDBC driver class should be com.mysql.jdbc.Driver if you are
   using JDBC. 

For reference, I am using  mysql-connector-java-5.0.7 with MySQL 5.0.67 
and LO 3.5.3 .  Not the latest, but it works.
Under edit -> database -> Properties -> "Advanced Properties", you can 
set up the database name and authentication:

   "Name of the MySQL database" is the name of the database you used in
   the CREATE DATABASE mysql statement.
   "User name" is the user name you used in the GRANT statement
   "Password required" should be checked if you set up a password in
   the GRANT statement.

If you made any changes from the above suggestions, can you now go 
through the Base database installation again without any problems?
> Carried on with the Base page and put in all the details - 'Test 
> Class' gives me "Succesful"
> But 'Test Connection' still gives me the "Communication Failure"!!
This sounds like Base still can't talk to the server through localhost.
> The var/lib/mysql Folder is there but is EMPTY(??)!!!!! (and has no 
> permissions) and I can not delete it.
Are you looking at /var/lib/mysql as "root"?   If not, it will look 
empty and if you try to enter the directory, err, folder, you should get 
a permission error if not root.  There should at least be entries in the 
log from your use of mysql-secure-installation and mysql_install_db.  
Oops!  I don't think I told you about "mysql_install_db"?  If not, 
that's my bad.  I am sorry I left it out.  That needs to be run before 
anything else, including the mysqld server.  Here is the correct 
sequence of configuration:

   (set up my.cfg)
   mysql_install_db --user=mysql     #creates the databsae structures.
   mysqld_safe  --user=mysql &       #script to run the mysqld server.
   NOTE: sometimes called safe_mysqld
   mysql_secure_installation             #removes insecure
   files/structures.
   mysql --user=root -p mysql          #Allows you to create your
   databases, user names, permissions, etc.
   (set up Base)

This is documented in the Section "Post-Installation Setup and Testing" 
in the MySQL Reference Manual.
After running this sequence, the /var/lib/mysql directory should contain 
your database files, the error log, and other mysql internal files.  
Since these are sensitive files, only root can see/access them. 

I know this is a lot to take in, but not being at your system means I 
have to throw out a lot of possibilities and suggestions.
Installing MySQL and getting Base working with it is not trivial, as you 
have seen.  As far as I know, there is no one document to describe the 
process.  Now add in all the other database server systems out there 
that Base can connect to and it really expands.  That is why I keep 
notes on what my process is for the time I upgrade my Linux and have to 
do it all over again.
Hope this helps.
Girvin Herr

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