Connecting to a MySQL database

I'm switching from MS Access database to MySQL. However I'm having problems with the whole process. I've downloaded connector/J, but I don't know where to unpack the zip file. Does it go somewhere into my SDK directory? My Tomcat directory?

I've been reading this: http://www.javaranch.com/drive/jdbc/index.jsp to help me, but it just says to "Unzip the outer file into your root directory." It's not clear to me unfortunately.

Your JDBC driver needs to be in you application's classpath. Don't put it in your SDK. Have a read of this.

Read also the relevant MySQL docs ; in particular, the typical user only needs to install the binary jar (one file, mysql-connector-java-[ver]-bin.jar).
[ March 29, 2007: Message edited by: Edvins Reisons ]

Originally posted by Paul Sturrock:
Your JDBC driver needs to be in you application's classpath. Don't put it in your SDK. Have a read of this.

Hi Paul,

So I'll add the driver's jar file to the classpath, I know how to do that. But is there a particular location where it typically placed? Or it just doesn't matter so long as it's included in the classpath?

It depends on your application. If this is a web application your servlet container will have directories it includes by default in the classpath (if your servlet container is Tomcat, I think you are supposed to put it in the common/lib directory). If it is a desktop application you'll have to manage the classpath yourself.

Yes, my container is Tomcat. Ok so I'll place it in the common/lib directory. As for the classpath, do I have to add the mysql-connector jar file by name?

ex. CLASSPATH=C:\Tomcat\common\lib\mysql-connector-java-myversion-bin.jar

or just CLASSPATH=C:\Tomcat\common\lib

No. Like I said - the servlet container has directories it includes be default in the classpath of your web app. common/lib is one of those directories.

thanks to all

at last i got sucess. my jsp program retriving record from my data base. thanks a lot to all who gave sugessions all these days.

thanks thanks a lot

regards

Narasimha Raju Naidu