Figure 4.6 Adding a host to the host table.
The next step is to make sure you have users to add to your database. You will add a user now.
INSERT INTO user VALUES('localhost','TestUser',
PASSWORD('pass123'),'Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y'
,'Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y')
The PASSWORD function is an intrinsic function, that is, a function that can be called from within MySQL.
You will learn about intrinsic functions in more detail on Day 10, "Letting MySQL Do the Work—Intrinsic
Functions." The password function takes a string as an argument and encrypts it. This encrypted word
is stored in the database. This prevents prying eyes from easily discovering the passwords of all your
users with a simple query to the mysql database. It's best to get in the habit of adding users in this
manner.
You are now ready to add your database and users to the mysql database. To do this, enter the
following:
INSERT INTO db VALUES('localhost','sample_db',
'TestUser','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y',
'Y')
Let's review what you have done. To allow a person to use the sample_db database from the local
machine, several things must be in place. You will need the hostname of the computer the user will be
using to connect to your database. In the example, you are going to use the same machine that has the
MySQL RDBMS installed. Your machine may have a really cool name, but MySQL only requires the
name 'localhost' to describe a local machine. If you were connecting to another mysql database
from your machine, your machine's name would have to be in that database. The second thing that
needs to be in place is a user. You can add users at any time. Because I'm assuming that you have a
fresh installation, I went through the process of adding a user. After the user is added, you could go
ahead and give this user permission to use your database. You did this by adding the user to the db
table. The advantages of doing things this way will be covered in great detail on Day 16.Creating the Meet_A_Geek Database
You will create the Meet_A_Geek database using the mysqladmin utility. (You will add users in a later
lesson.) You will use this database as an example throughout the book, building upon it in each lesson. To
create the database, do the following:
- Make sure the daemon is active and that you are in the mysql directory.
- To create the database, enter the following:
- bin/mysqladmin –p CREATE Meet_A_Geek
Summary
Yesterday, you learned the importance of proper designing. Today, you took the first step to bringing your
design to life. You have achieved an important milestone: You created your first MySQL database. You also
learned today that the developers of MySQL give you more than one option to accomplish this task. If you
are a command junkie, you can use the mysqladmin utility, and if you are an SQL fan, you can use an SQL
statement to accomplish the same thing. Either way, you are heading in the right direction to becoming a
MySQL DBA.