This book provides a complete application- and example-oriented introduction to the database system MySQL. No previous knowledge of SQL or database design is assumed.

MySQL is on the verge of repeating in the database market the success achieved by Linux in the operating system sector. In combination with PHP or Perl, MySQL is increasingly used as the database system for web sites. (A favorite combination is Linux + Apache + MySQL + Perl or PHP. Such systems are called “LAMP systems” for short.) MySQL is not just for small web sites; it is used by large firms with huge amounts of data, such as Yahoo!, Slashdot, and NASA.

The introductory part of the book begins with an extensive introduction on installing MySQL, Apache, PHP, and Perl under Windows and Linux. We also consider the installation of components that are used in combination with MySQL. Building on this, our first example will show the basic use of MySQL and PHP.

The second part of the book introduces the most important administrative tools and user interfaces: mysql, mysqladmin, mysqldump; the programs MySQL Administrator, MySQL Query Browser; and finally phpMyAdmin. The latter program is particularly well suited for off-site administration using a web browser. A separate chapter shows how Micro$oft Office, Sun StarOffice, and OpenOffice can be used to access MySQL databases.

TABLE OF CONTENT:
Chapter 01 - What Is MySQL?
Chapter 02 - The Test Environment
Chapter 03 - Introductory Example (An Opinion Poll with PHP)
Chapter 04 - mysql,mysqladmin,and mysqldump
Chapter 05 - MySQL Administrator and MySQL Query Browser
Chapter 06 - phpMyAdmin
Chapter 07 - Micro$oft Office,OpenOffice/StarOffice
Chapter 08 - Database Design
Chapter 09 - An Introduction to SQL
Chapter 10 - SQL Recipes
Chapter 11 - Access Administration and Security
Chapter 12 - GIS Functions
Chapter 13 - Stored Procedures and Triggers
Chapter 14 - Administration and Server Configuration
Chapter 15 - PHP
Chapter 16 - Perl
Chapter 17 - Java (JDBC and Connector/J)
Chapter 18 - C
Chapter 19 - Visual Basic 6/VBA
Chapter 20 - Visual Basic .NET and C#
Chapter 21 - SQL Reference
Chapter 22 - MySQL Tools and Options
Chapter 23 - API Reference
Appendix A - Glossary
Appendix B - The Files for this Book
Appendix C - Bibliography