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This is the chapter of the MemberManual that describes how to use PostgreSQL and MySQL databases on HCoop servers.

[[TableOfContents]]

= MySQL =
Creating a MySQL user account is an easy task with {{{dbtool}}}.  It is available for use when you login to mire.hcoop.net.  

Run the following command: {{{dbtool mysql adduser}}}.  You will be asked for a password.  The user created will be the same as your log-in username.

== Creating and Deleting Databases ==
{{{dbtool}}} is also used to create new MySQL databases.  Replace DATABASE with your desired database name: {{{dbtool mysql createdb DATABASE}}}. The database created will be USER_DATABASE (where USER is your username and DATABASE is the name you provided {{{dbtool}}}).

Delete a database with the following: {{{dbtool mysql dropdb DATABASE}}}.

== Changing Your Password ==
If you need to change your MySQL password for security purposes or you have forgotten it, you may do so with this command: {{{dbtool mysql passwd}}}.  You will be prompted to input a new password.

== Accessing Databases ==
For web applications, set the MySQL host/server to {{{mysql}}}.  Default ports apply.   Use your HCoop username.  Your password will be required.  Please safeguard it.  Remember that your database is really named USER_DATABASE, where DATABASE is the name you originally gave {{{dbtool}}}. Follow your software package's instructions.

In addition, you can easily use the {{{mysql}}} shell to manipulate or analyze your databases: {{{ mysql -p -h mysql USER_DATABASE }}}.  For security reasons, you cannot drop a database using the {{{mysql}}} shell.

To learn more about the MySQL shell, review the [http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/ MySQL manual].


= PostgreSQL =
To create a PostgreSQL user account, enter the following command on mire.hcoop.net: {{{dbtool postgres adduser}}}.  You will not be prompted for a password since PostgreSQL utilizes a security model that is quite different from MySQL.  The user created will be the same as your log-in username.

== Creating and Deleting Databases ==
Additionally, {{{dbtool}}} is used to create new Postgres databases.  Replace DATABASE with your desired database name: {{{dbtool postgres createdb DATABASE}}}.   The database created will be called USER_DATABASE (where USER is your username and DATABASE is the name you provided {{{dbtool}}}).

Delete a database with the following command: {{{dbtool postgres dropdb DATABASE}}}.  For security reasons, you cannot drop a database using the {{{psql}}} shell.

== Accessing Databases ==
For web applications, set the PostgreSQL host/server to {{{postgres}}}. Default ports apply.  Use your HCoop username.  A password is not required.  Remember that your database is really named USER_DATABASE, where DATABASE is the name you originally gave {{{dbtool}}}. Follow your software package's instructions.

It is very easy to access your database using a PostgreSQL shell:  {{{psql -h postgres USER_DATABASE}}}.

To learn more about the {{{psql}}} shell, take a look at the [http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/interactive/index.html PostgreSQL manual].