Installing MySQL with macports

This is my notes for installing MySQL on mac. It’s mainly taken from https://trac.macports.org/wiki/howto/MySQL

sudo port install mysql56-server

which installs version 5.6, but you could check this was the latest version by search the output of

port search mysql

You need to enable the port by adding it to the system path, the easiest way is by

sudo port select mysql mysql56

Then set up the database

sudo -u _mysql mysql_install_db 
sudo chown -R _mysql:_mysql /opt/local/var/db/mysql56/ 
sudo chown -R _mysql:_mysql /opt/local/var/run/mysql56/ 
sudo chown -R _mysql:_mysql /opt/local/var/log/mysql56/ 

Then start the database

sudo port load mysql56-server

We need to set a root password

/opt/local/lib/mysql56/bin/mysqladmin -u root -p password 

You will be prompted for the old password, which currently blank so just press enter, then add your new password.

You can then add some basic security to the database by running

/opt/local/bin/mysql_secure_installation

If you need the server to connect to the network (including it seems the loopback localhost – although I’m sure there is away round this), you need to edit the configuration file in /opt/local/etc/mysql56/my.conf. The file simply calls the default config file, macports-default.cnf,  which stops only has skip-network in it. Don’t edit the default since an update may overwrite it, simply edit comment out the include line with a ! symbol.

To enable a C++ interface to MySQL install

sudo port install mysql5-connector-cpp

note that this also a port mysql-connector-cpp without that 5, which is broken! A half hour of my life I’ll never get back. Unfortunately this port is out of date and links against MySQL 5.1. It can still be used with 5.6 but it does mean macports will also install 5.1 on your system.

To edit the config file and your databases there is a GUI tool MySQL Workbench

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