jdbc mysql --- ClassNotFoundException problem ... please help

[Bill Mares]

Hi,
I am porting an application over from using an oracle db to a mysql db. I was doing the oracle dev on a unix box, but now I am on Windows 2000. I am having a configuration problem. I have looked through the online suggestions, but found no solution.
Some code:

 
        try {
            Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver").newInstance();
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfe) {
            System.err.println("Couldn't find the MySql driver");
            System.err.println(cnfe);
            //cnfe.printStackTrace();
        } 

This is the important code where it is having problems. Basically, the things I have seen tell me that I have to place the driver [ currently using mysql-connector-java-3.0.9-stable-bin.jar from mysql.com ] where it can be seen. I have it stored in a directory under the C: drive and have added the jar file to the classpath, ie. added C:\somedir\mysql-connector-java-3.0.9-stable-bin.jar to the PATH variable in the environment variables. Can anyone suggest how to fix this?
I also tried adding the jar file to the C:\JAVA_HOME\jre\lib\ext but no luck there either. Please help.

[Bill Mares]

ok, figured it out.
I had 2 installed jdk directories and had placed the jar file in the wrong one. Sorry about the question.

[Lasse Koskela]

FYI, you add stuff into the classpath by using the CLASSPATH environment variable, not PATH.