This document describes the installation and configuration of
DBD::mysql, the Perl DBI driver for the MySQL database. Before
reading on, make sure that you have the prerequisites available:
Perl, MySQL and DBI. For details see the separate section.
PREREQUISITES.
Depending on your version of Perl, it might be possible to
use a binary distribution of DBD::mysql. If possible, this is
recommended. Otherwise you need to install from the sources.
If so, you will definitely need a C compiler. Installation
from binaries and sources are both described in separate
sections. BINARY INSTALLATION. SOURCE INSTALLATION.
Finally, if you encounter any problems, do not forget to
read the section on known problems. KNOWN PROBLEMS. If
that doesn't help, you should look into the archive of the
mailing list perl@lists.mysql.com. See
http://www.mysql.com for archive locations. And if that
still doesn't help, please post a question on this mailing
list.
Preferrably a version of Perl, that comes preconfigured with
your system. For example, all Linux and FreeBSD distributions
come with Perl. For Windows, ActivePerl is recommended, see
http://www.activestate.com for details.
You need not install the actual MySQL database server, the
client files and the devlopment files are sufficient. For
example, the Red Hat Linux distribution comes with RPM files
mysql-client and mysql-devel. These are sufficient, if the MySQL server is located on a foreign machine. You may
also create client files by compiling from the MySQL source
distribution and using
configure --without-server
If you are using Windows and need to compile from sources
(which is only the case if you are not using ActivePerl),
then you must ensure that the header and library files are
installed. This may require choosing a ``Custom installation''
and selecting the appropriate option when running the
MySQL setup program.
A C compiler is only required, if you install from source. In
most cases there are binary distributions of DBD::mysql available. However, if you need a C compiler, make sure, that
it is the same C compiler that was used for compiling Perl and
MySQL! Otherwise you will almost definitely encounter problems
because of differences in the underlying C runtime libraries.
In the worst case, this might mean to compile Perl and MySQL
yourself. But believe me, experience shows that a lot of problems
are fixed this way.
Late versions of MySQL come with support for compression. Thus
it may be required that you have install an RPM package like
libz-devel, libgz-devel or something similar.
In the case of Linux or FreeBSD distributions it is very likely
that all you need comes with your distribution, as in the case
of Red Hat Linux. I just cannot give you names, as I am not using
these systems.
Please let me know if you find the files in your SuSE Linux, Debian
Linux or FreeBSD distribution so that I can extend the above list.
So you need to install from sources. If you are lucky, the Perl
module CPAN will do all for you, thanks to the excellent work
of Andreas Koenig. Otherwise you will need to do a manual
installation. Some of you, in particular system administrators
of multiple sites, will choose automatic installation. All of
these installation types have an own section. CPAN installation.
Manual installation. Configuration.
The DBD::mysql Makefile.PL needs to know where to find your MySQL
installation. This may be achieved using command line switches
(see Configuration) or automatically using the mysql_config binary
which comes with most MySQL distributions. If your MySQL distribution
contains mysql_config the easiest method is to ensure this binary
is on your path.
Installation of DBD::mysql can be incredibly easy:
cpan
install DBD::mysql
If you are using the CPAN module for the first time, just answer
the questions by accepting the defaults which are fine in most
cases. If you are using an older version of Perl, you might
instead need a
perl -MCPAN -e shell
install DBD::mysql
If you cannot get the CPAN module working, you might try manual
installation. If installation with CPAN fails because the your local
settings have been guessed wrong, you need to ensure MySQL's
mysql_config is on your path (see SOURCE INSTALLATION) or
alternatively create a script called mysql_config. This is
described in more details later. Configuration.
The archive needs to be extracted. On Windows you may use a tool
like WinZip, on Unix you type
gzip -cd DBD-mysql-1.2216.tar.gz | tar xf -
This will create a subdirectory DBD-mysql-1.2216. Enter this
subdirectory and type
perl Makefile.PL
make
make test
(On Windows you may need to replace ``make'' with ``nmake'' or
``dmake''.) If the tests seem to look fine, you may continue with
make install
If the make or tests fail, you might need to configure some settings.
For example you might choose a different database, the C
compiler or the linker might need some flags. Configuration.
Compiler flags. Linker flags.
perldoc2tree.cgi: /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/5.8.8/i386-linux-thread-multi/DBD/mysql/INSTALL.pod: cannot resolve L in paragraph 69.
For Windows/CygWin there is a special section below.
Windows/CygWin.
The install script ``Makefile.PL'' can be configured via a lot of
switches. All switches can be used on the command line. For
example, the test database:
perl Makefile.PL --testdb=<db>
If you do not like configuring these switches on the command
line, you may alternatively create a script called mysql_config.
This is described later on.
This is a list of flags that you want to give to the C compiler.
The most important flag is the location of the MySQL header files.
For example, on Red Hat Linux the header files are in /usr/include/mysql
and you might try
-I/usr/include/mysql
On Windows the header files may be in C:\mysql\include and you might try
-IC:\mysql\include
The default flags are determined by running
mysql_config --cflags
More details on the C compiler flags can be found in the following
section. Compiler flags.
This is a list of flags that you want to give to the linker
or loader. The most important flags are the locations and names
of additional libraries. For example, on Red Hat Linux your
MySQL client libraries are in /usr/lib/mysql and you might try
-L/usr/lib/mysql -lmysqlclient -lz
On Windows the libraries may be in C:\mysql\lib and
-LC:\mysql\lib -lmysqlclient
might be a good choice. The default flags are determined by running
mysql_config --libs
More details on the linker flags can be found in a separate section.
Linker flags.
If a switch is not present on the command line, then the
script mysql_config will be executed. This script comes
as part of the MySQL distribution. For example, to determine
the C compiler flags, we are executing
mysql_config --cflags
mysql_config --libs
If you want to configure your own settings for database name,
database user and so on, then you have to create a script with
the same name, that replies
=head2 Compiler flags
It is typically not so difficult to determine the appropriate
flags for the C compiler. The linker flags, which you find in
the next section, are another story.
The determination of the C compiler flags is usually left to
a configuration script called mysql_config, which can be
invoked with
mysql_config --cflags
When doing so, it will emit a line with suggested C compiler
flags, for example like this:
-L/usr/include/mysql
The C compiler must find some header files. Header files have
the extension .h. MySQL header files are, for example,
mysql.h and mysql_version.h. In most cases the header
files are not installed by default. For example, on Windows
it is an installation option of the MySQL setup program
(Custom installation), whether the header files are installed
or not. On Red Hat Linux, you need to install an RPM archive
mysql-devel or MySQL-devel.
If you know the location of the header files, then you will
need to add an option
-L<header directory>
to the C compiler flags, for example -L/usr/include/mysql.
Appropriate linker flags are the most common source of problems
while installing DBD::mysql. I will only give a rough overview,
you'll find more details in the troubleshooting section.
KNOWN PROBLEMS
The determination of the C compiler flags is usually left to
a configuration script called mysql_config, which can be
invoked with
mysql_config --libs
When doing so, it will emit a line with suggested C compiler
flags, for example like this:
The MySQL client library comes as part of the MySQL distribution.
Depending on your system it may be a file called
F<libmysqlclient.a> statically linked library, Unix
F<libmysqlclient.so> dynamically linked library, Unix
F<mysqlclient.lib> statically linked library, Windows
F<mysqlclient.dll> dynamically linked library, Windows
or something similar.
As in the case of the header files, the client library is typically
not installed by default. On Windows you will need to select them
while running the MySQL setup program (Custom installation). On
Red Hat Linux an RPM archive mysql-devel or MySQL-devel must
be installed.
The linker needs to know the location and name of the mysqlclient
library. This can be done by adding the flags
If you would like to use the static libraries (and there are
excellent reasons to do so), you need to create a separate
directory, copy the static libraries to that place and use
the -L switch above to point to your new directory. For example:
mkdir /tmp/mysql-static
cp /usr/lib/mysql/*.a /tmp/mysql-static
perl Makefile.PL --libs="-L/tmp/mysql-static -lmysqlclient"
make
make test
make install
rm -rf /tmp/mysql-static
The MySQL client can use compression when talking to the MySQL
server, a nice feature when sending or receiving large texts over
a slow network.
On Unix you typically find the appropriate file name by running
ldconfig -p | grep libz
ldconfig -p | grep libgz
Once you know the name (libz.a or libgz.a is best), just add it
to the list of linker flags. If this seems to be causing problem
you may also try to link without gzip libraries.
If you are a user of Cygwin (the Redhat distribution) you already
know, it contains a nicely running perl 5.6.1, installation of
additional modules usually works as a charme via the standard
procedure of
perl makefile.PL
make
make test
make install
The Windows binary distribution of MySQL runs smoothly under Cygwin.
You can start/stop the server and use all Windows clients without problem.
But to install DBD::mysql you have to take a little special action.
Don't attempt to build DBD::mysql against either the MySQL Windows or
Linux/Unix BINARY distributions: neither will work!
You MUST compile the MySQL clients yourself under Cygwin, to get a
'libmysqlclient.a' compiled under Cygwin. Really! You'll only need
that library and the header files, you don't need any other client parts.
Continue to use the Windows binaries. And don't attempt (currently) to
build the MySQL Server part, it is unneccessary, as MySQL AB does an
excellent job to deliver optimized binaries for the mainstream
operating systems, and it is told, that the server compiled under Cygwin is
unstable.
This prepares the Makefile with the installed Cygwin features. It
takes some time, but should finish without error. The 'prefix', as
given, installs the whole Cygwin/MySQL thingy into a location not
normally in your PATH, so that you continue to use already installed
Windows binaries. The --without-server parameter tells configure to
only build the clients.
-
make
This builds all MySQL client parts ... be patient. It should finish
finally without any error.
-
make install
This installs the compiled client files under /usr/local/mysql/.
Remember, you don't need anything except the library under
/usr/local/mysql/lib and the headers under /usr/local/mysql/include!
Essentially you are now done with this part. If you want, you may try
your compiled binaries shortly; for that, do:
-
cd /usr/local/mysql/bin
./mysql -h 127.0.0.1
The host (-h) parameter 127.0.0.1 targets the local host, but forces
the mysql client to use a TCP/IP connection. The default would be a
pipe/socket connection (even if you say '-h localhost') and this
doesn't work between Cygwin and Windows (as far as I know).
If you have your MySQL server running on some other box, then please
substitute '127.0.0.1' with the name or IP-number of that box.
Please note, in my environment the 'mysql' client did not accept a
simple RETURN, I had to use CTRL-RETURN to send commands
... strange,
but I didn't attempt to fix that, as we are only interested in the
built lib and headers.
At the 'mysql>' prompt do a quick check:
mysql> use mysql
mysql> show tables;
mysql> select * from db;
mysql> exit
cd into unpacked dir DBD-mysql-<version>
you probably did that already, if you are reading this!
-
cp /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql_config .
This copies the executable script mentioned in the DBD::mysql docs
from your just built Cywin/MySQL client directory; it knows about
your Cygwin installation, especially about the right libraries to link
with.
-
perl Makefile.PL --testhost=127.0.0.1
The --testhost=127.0.0.1 parameter again forces a TCP/IP connection
to the MySQL server on the local host instead of a pipe/socket
connection for the 'make test' phase.
-
make
This should run without error
-
make test
with DBD-mysql-2.1022 or earlier you will see several errors in
dbdadmin.t, mysql.t and mysql2.t; with later versions you should not
get errors (except possibly one, indicating, that some tables could
not be dropped. I'm hunting for a solution to that problem, but have
none yet).
This was tested with MySQL version 3.23.54a and DBD::mysql version
2.1022. I patched the above mentioned test scripts and sent the
patches
to the author of DBD::mysql Jochen Wiedman.
If this is the case for you, install an RPM archive like
libz-devel, libgz-devel, zlib-devel or gzlib-devel or something
similar.
)
If Perl was compiled with gcc or egcs, but MySQL was compiled
with another compiler or on another system, an error message like
this is very likely when running ``Make test'':
t/00base............install_driver(mysql) failed: Can't load
'../blib/arch/auto/DBD/mysql/mysql.so' for module DBD::mysql:
../blib/arch/auto/DBD/mysql/mysql.so: undefined symbol: _umoddi3
at /usr/local/perl-5.005/lib/5.005/i586-linux-thread/DynaLoader.pm
line 168.
This means, that your linker doesn't include libgcc.a. You have
the following options:
The solution is telling the linker to use libgcc. Run
gcc --print-libgcc-file
to determine the exact location of libgcc.a or for older versions
of gcc
gcc -v
to determine the directory. If you know the directory, add a
There are known problems with shared versions of libmysqlclient,
at least on some Linux boxes. If you receive an error message
similar to
install_driver(mysql) failed: Can't load
'/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/i586-linux/auto/DBD/mysql/mysql.so'
for module DBD::mysql: File not found at
/usr/lib/perl5/i586-linux/5.00404/DynaLoader.pm line 166
then this error message can be misleading: It's not mysql.so
that fails being loaded, but libmysqlclient.so! The usual
problem is that this file is located in a directory like
/usr/lib/mysql
where the linker doesn't look for it.
The best workaround is using a statically linked mysqlclient
library, for example
/usr/lib/mysql/libmysqlclient.a
The use of a statically linked library is described in the
previous section on linker flags. Configuration.
Linker flags.
)
Red Hat 8 & 9 set the Default locale to UTF which causes problems with
MakeMaker. To build DBD::mysql on these systems, do a 'unset LANG'
before runing 'perl Makefile.PL'
Finally, if everything else fails, you are not alone. First of
all, for an immediate answer, you should look into the archives
of the mailing list perl@lists.mysql.com. See
http://www.mysql.com for archive locations.
If you don't find an appropriate posting and reply in the
mailing list, please post a question. Typically a reply will
be seen within one or two days.
