Connecting to a MySQL DB

[J Dunn]

It's probably something simple that im missing but I cant figure out how to start the connection. I have the mysql-connector-java-####-bin in the same directory I am running the code from but it generates an error saying class not found on the line with Class.forname() when I try to start up the driver so that I can make a connection.

Any tips would be appreciated, alternatively if you have an idea of an easier way to make the connection I am open to that. I am not attached to doing it this way, I just need to be able to connect to a DB on the same box so that I can add entries and run queries.

  
import java.sql.*;
import java.util.Properties;
 
public class testConnection
{
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        try
 
        {
            Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver").newInstance();
            Connection test = DriverManager.getConnection(
 
                "jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/dbName", "user", "password");
         }
         catch (Exception e)
 
        {
 
            e.printStackTrace();
            return;
        }
 
    }
}   

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Welcome to JavaRanch!

You need to explicitly add the jar to the classpath. Being in the same directory isn't enough for Java to find the driver.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Also, we have a forum specifically for JDBC questions. I'll move this to it for you.

[J Dunn]

I tried compiling with:

javac -classpath $HOME/path/mysql-connector-java-5.1.6-bin.jar testconnection.java

Which I believe should add it to the class path but it has the same result.

[Campbell Ritchie]

That will only work if you have a folder called path.

[J Dunn]

I'm compiling with the actual path between the home folder and the driver, I just left it out since it wasn't relevant.