config files for mysql

[Ryan Schmidt]

On Sep 13, 2014, at 12:38 PM, Murray Eisenberg wrote:

> What exactly is the relationship among the following files installed by mysql56-server?
> 
>   /private/etc/my_macports.conf
>   /opt/local/etc/mysql56/my-new.cnf
>   /opt/local/share/mysql56/support-files/macports/my.cnf
> 
> And in which of these should one change settings? Or should one do it in a file my.cnf somewhere else?
> 
> (This is very muddled given that the MacPorts port distributes files into somewhat different locations, relative to /opt/local, than the native MySQL distribution does, relative to /usr/local.)

MySQL uses a configuration file called "my.cnf". Any file not named "my.cnf" is not used.

There are many locations where MySQL looks for this file, and in a particular order. My recollection is that /etc/my.cnf (also known on OS X as /private/etc/my.cnf because /etc is a symlink to /private/etc) is the first location checked (so if my.cnf is found there then other locations are not checked) but I don't want to mislead you so I would refer you to the MySQL documentation which should list all the locations. The exception is the location that is specific to each MacPorts MySQL version, for example /opt/local/etc/mysql56/my.cnf for the mysql56 port. I don't remember with what precedence that location is checked.