Finding my.ini

PHP
1

Well, I’m starting the book “Build your own Database Driven Website using php & mysql” and after installing mysql on my computer it says to “open the directory on your system in which you have installed MySQL and look for a file name my.ini”

I don’t even know specifically is meant by the “directory” and have no idea how to look for that file to edit it.

Can someone explain what a directory is and how I would find the file that I’ve installed the directory in.

Also, how do i see the file that is installed now? When i search for mysql on my computer I find files named “mysql” but all i see are files that look like they are for installing it, but I know that I’ve installed it.

Should I be able to open the file?

thanks, brian

2

A directory is another name for “folder”, you keep files in folders don’t you?

Windows or Mac?

In Windows, go Start / Search / enter php.ini

When you find the file, rightclick on it and open it with notepad or some kind of plain text editor (ie not Word or Wordpad)

3

SORRY, I misread your title, “finding my.ini” to be “finding my ini” and took you to mean your php ini file… enter my.ini not php.ini.

4

Thanks. I searched for “my.ini” using the “start search” box but nothing comes up.

5

Which mysql installer did you use? Or did you install it manually?

Another way might be to go: Start / Control panel / Services :

(or start / run : %SystemRoot%\system32\services.msc /s )

And see if mysql is amongst that list of services running. If it is right click on “mysql” and inspect the / Properties / path to executable the length of the field on my server extends beyond the scope of the display box, so copy the whole string and paste it into a text editor, mine certainly tells me where the ini file is kept (–defaults-file=“C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0\my.ini”)

6

You’re trying to run before you can walk - “directory” is about as basic a computer literacy term as you can get. Take some time to work through the basics before trying to tackle programming and database management.