Chapter 4 Installing the MySQL Startup Item
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Chapter 4 Installing the MySQL Startup Item

The MySQL Installation Package includes a startup item that can be used to automatically start and stop MySQL.

Important

Startup items are deprecated in favor of launchd daemons. For additional information, see Chapter 3, Installing a MySQL Launch Daemon.

To install the MySQL Startup Item:

  1. Download and open the MySQL package installer, which is provided on a disk image (.dmg) that includes the main MySQL installation package, the MySQLStartupItem.pkg installation package, and the MySQL.prefPane. Double-click the disk image to open it.

    Figure 4.1 MySQL Package Installer: DMG Contents

    MySQL Package Installer: DMG Contents

  2. Double-click the MySQLStartItem.pkg file to start the installation process.

  3. You will be presented with the Install MySQL Startup Item dialog.

    Figure 4.2 MySQL Startup Item Installer: Introduction

    MySQL Startup Item Installer: Introduction

    Click Continue to continue the installation process.

  4. A copy of the installation instructions and other important information relevant to this installation are displayed. Click Continue .

  5. Select the drive you want to use to install the MySQL Startup Item. The drive must have a valid, bootable, OS X operating system installed. Click Continue.

    Figure 4.3 MySQL Startup Item Installer: Choose Your Hard drive

    MySQL Startup Item Installer: Choose Your Hard drive

  6. You will be asked to confirm the details of the installation. To change the drive on which the startup item is installed, click either Go Back or Change Install Location.... To install the startup item, click Install.

  7. Once the installation has been completed successfully, you will be shown an Install Succeeded message.

    Figure 4.4 MySQL Startup Item Installer: Summary

    MySQL Startup Item Installer: Summary

The Startup Item for MySQL is installed into /Library/StartupItems/MySQLCOM. The Startup Item installation adds a variable MYSQLCOM=-YES- to the system configuration file /etc/hostconfig. If you want to disable the automatic startup of MySQL, change this variable to MYSQLCOM=-NO-.

Note

Deselecting Automatically Start MySQL Server on Startup from the MySQL Preference Pane sets the MYSQLCOM variable to -NO-.

After the installation, you can start and stop the MySQL server from the MySQL Preference Pane (preferred), or by running the following commands in a terminal window. You must have administrator privileges to perform these tasks, and you may be prompted for your password.

If you have installed the Startup Item, use this command to start the server: 

shell> sudo /Library/StartupItems/MySQLCOM/MySQLCOM start

If you have installed the Startup Item, use this command to stop the server: 

shell> sudo /Library/StartupItems/MySQLCOM/MySQLCOM stop
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Chapter 3 Installing a MySQL Launch Daemon Home Chapter 5 Installing and Using the MySQL Preference Pane