Introduction to MySQL

I accessed the MySQL web site yesterday and downloaded MySQL for Windows (I have XP SP3 on my PC). The download is just over 200 megabytes so it didn't take too long. I tried to install it but the installer told me I needed to have .NET Framework 4.0. It displayed a URL to go to on the Microsoft web site so I went there. I'm not sure what .NET Framework 4.0 will give me but it installed in a few minutes. Then I tried to install MySQL again and that only took a short time as well so now I am ready to go. On my Start Menu there is a My SQL 5.5 Command Line Client (click the image to display it at full size):

A screen flashes up then disappears when I click it. I will try to find out why in due course. There is also a MySQL Workbench:

For now, I just need a command line interface so I started up a DOS session and logged in and out as follows:

C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.5\bin>mysql -u root -p
Enter password: *********
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 6
Server version: 5.5.19 MySQL Community Server (GPL)

Copyright (c) 2000, 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its
affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective
owners.

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the current input statement.

mysql> quit
Bye

The root password was the one I specified when I installed MySQL. The next few blog posts will be run in a session accessed like this.