using Distrib 5.0.45 on ubuntu 7.04, mysql was installed via adept manager.
I'm getting many error messages on the type:

Can't find file: './mysql/(database_name).frm' for numerous databases.

The mysql database was installed automatically during installation, and
I'm getting them for ./mysql/time_zone_name.frm.
Also:
I'm getting these type of messages from databases that were installed
manually via mysq and a script file.
And:
I'm getting them from databases installed by directly copying to
/var/lib/mysql/(database name) from other machines.

In each case, I find that the ownership is set at mysql:mysql and
permissions at 660.

I'd like to resolve this problem ASAP as it is driving me crazy :-), so
any would be appreciated.

thanks
tim

Tim Johnson wrote:
>
> Can't find file: './mysql/(database_name).frm' for numerous databases.

That's the file the actual table data is stored in. Unless you're on a
shared machine and are trying to run a private copy of MySQL, you
probably don't mean to put store table data in a subdirectory of the
current directory ("./mysql"). Typically this stuff goes in
/var/lib/mysql If that's what you want, you can either override the
defaults by setting up a custom my.cnf or get a build of MySQL that has
the defaults set sanely for your needs.

Perhaps the Ubuntu 6.06 LTS binaries you can download from mysql.com
will work on your newer system. If so, you can be sure they'll be
configured sanely.

On Tuesday 30 October 2007, Warren Young wrote:
> Tim Johnson wrote:
> > Can't find file: './mysql/(database_name).frm' for numerous databases.
>
> That's the file the actual table data is stored in. Unless you're on a
> shared machine and are trying to run a private copy of MySQL, you
> probably don't mean to put store table data in a subdirectory of the
> current directory ("./mysql"). Typically this stuff goes in
> /var/lib/mysql If that's what you want, you can either override the
> defaults by setting up a custom my.cnf or get a build of MySQL that has
> the defaults set sanely for your needs.
>
> Perhaps the Ubuntu 6.06 LTS binaries you can download from mysql.com
> will work on your newer system. If so, you can be sure they'll be
> configured sanely.

Oops! Wrongly worded subject and problem.

The file pattern is *not* as I expressed it above.
It should be
../(database_name)/(table_name).frm
IOWS:
If it is a problem with the mysql database and the time_zone_name table
the error references './mysql/time_zone_name.frm'
If it is a problem with database 'project' and table 'customer'
then the error references './project/customer.frm'
I hope that is clearer.
thanks
tim

Tim Johnson wrote:
>
> The file pattern is *not* as I expressed it above.

Yeah, I figured that out, and ignored the error in my reply.

The answer remains the same: unless you're purposefully doing something
weird, there's a configuration error in that MySQL build. It's not that
the configuration cannot possibly be right, just that it's unlikely to
be correct.

On Tuesday 30 October 2007, Warren Young wrote:
> Tim Johnson wrote:
> > The file pattern is *not* as I expressed it above.
>
> Yeah, I figured that out, and ignored the error in my reply.
>
> The answer remains the same: unless you're purposefully doing something
> weird, there's a configuration error in that MySQL build. It's not that
> the configuration cannot possibly be right, just that it's unlikely to
> be correct.

Is there a possible repair routine to run?
Tim

Tim Johnson wrote:
>
> Is there a possible repair routine to run?

It isn't "broken," per se.

Someone chose to build it with this configuration, and presumably that
person made a choice that is sensible for their needs. If it doesn't
work for you, you can either build MySQL from source with the
configuration choices you like, or switch to another build that has
defaults you like. That's why I suggested downloading the official
binaries from mysql.com: they work for most people.

On Tuesday 30 October 2007, Warren Young wrote:
> Tim Johnson wrote:
> > Is there a possible repair routine to run?
>
> It isn't "broken," per se.

When you say that it isn't "broken", could you please elaborate?
And thanks in advance, because, from where I'm sitting, time is money
and I know that it takes time to answers these emails.

> Someone chose to build it with this configuration, and presumably that
> person made a choice that is sensible for their needs.
> If it doesn't
> work for you, you can either build MySQL from source with the
> configuration choices you like, or switch to another build that has
> defaults you like. That's why I suggested downloading the official
> binaries from mysql.com: they work for most people.

Do I understand that you think that this problem comes from the way that the
ubuntu development team built mysql?

I find this very strange, considering that I have installed mysql on on ubuntu
before without this problem. What I did do different on this install was copy
some (but not all) directly to /var/lib/mysql/(database_name). I'm also very
nervous about mixing the install of of binaries with a fairly succesful update
schema - that is - the debian based package management system.

Regards
Tim

Tim Johnson wrote:
>> It isn't "broken," per se.
>
> When you say that it isn't "broken", could you please elaborate?

Once again: It seems to me that you're seeing a purposeful choice of
configuration. It could very well be that the configuration makes sense
in some one's use. The fact that it breaks for you doesn't mean the
configuration makes no sense.

I don't know for a fact that this is what's going on. I don't use
Ubuntu. I'm just trying to find an explanation for why it is the way it is.

> And thanks in advance, because, from where I'm sitting, time is money
> and I know that it takes time to answers these emails.

I'm glad you see that, but why then are you continuing to argue back and
forth instead of going to mysql.com and getting a different set of
binaries to try? You could have done that about five times in the time
it's took to have this exchange. Even if it didn't work, we'd be
farther along towards a solution by now.

On Tuesday 30 October 2007, Warren Young wrote:
> Tim Johnson wrote:
> >> It isn't "broken," per se.
> >
> > When you say that it isn't "broken", could you please elaborate?
>
> Once again: It seems to me that you're seeing a purposeful choice of
> configuration. It could very well be that the configuration makes sense
> in some one's use. The fact that it breaks for you doesn't mean the
> configuration makes no sense.
>
> I don't know for a fact that this is what's going on. I don't use
> Ubuntu. I'm just trying to find an explanation for why it is the way it
> is.
>
> > And thanks in advance, because, from where I'm sitting, time is money
> > and I know that it takes time to answers these emails.
>
> I'm glad you see that, but why then are you continuing to argue back and
> forth instead of going to mysql.com and getting a different set of
> binaries to try? You could have done that about five times in the time
> it's took to have this exchange. Even if it didn't work, we'd be
> farther along towards a solution by now.

I am not arguing. I am being cautious. If I were on a slack or redhat system,
which I'm more familiar with, I would have reinstalled already.

I'm going to refer this to a a debian or ubuntu list and see what responses I
get before I do anything further.

Thanks for your . Don't make an argument where none exists :-).
tim

Regarding this issue, I have found that by rebooting the computer,
these problems have gone away (for now). I have a feeling that
this was a subtle permission/ownership problem. Some of the
databases were installed by direct file copy. although this method
has worked well for me on slackware and redhat machines, I'm
going to avoid doing this in the future for ubuntu if I can.

On Tuesday 30 October 2007, Warren Young wrote:
> Tim Johnson wrote:
> >> It isn't "broken," per se.
> >
> > When you say that it isn't "broken", could you please elaborate?
>
> Once again: It seems to me that you're seeing a purposeful choice of
> configuration. It could very well be that the configuration makes sense
> in some one's use. The fact that it breaks for you doesn't mean the
> configuration makes no sense.
>
> I don't know for a fact that this is what's going on. I don't use
> Ubuntu. I'm just trying to find an explanation for why it is the way it
> is.
Just a quick note regarding ubuntu. To make a long story short, I
moved from slack to ubuntu because of the debian package-management system,
which is "inherited" by ubuntu. When mysql is installed via the debian package
management system, the binaries being installed have been built and
maintained by the ubuntu development team. From what I know, this team is
well-funded and very able. And the binaries are built for ubuntu in
the "ubuntu way"

> ... why then are you continuing to argue back and
> forth instead of going to mysql.com and getting a different set of
> binaries to try? You could have done that about five times in the time
> it's took to have this exchange. Even if it didn't work, we'd be
> farther along towards a solution by now.

Not necessarily. Read on:
I own a software development company. I have been a database programmer
for 18 years, I'm proficient in C/C++/assembler/VBA/Python/Rebol/javascript
to name just a few. I've used mysql for 7 years, have built my own DBMSs
from scratch. I've worked on VAX, DOS, windows, Redhat linux, slackware linux
and now ubuntu. I wear the badge of "hacker" proudly.
*****
*but*
*****
I believe that in windows, there is a "windows way", in redhat, there is a
"redhat way" in slackware, there is the "slackware way", and in ubuntu
there is the "ubuntu way".

I stuck with the "ubuntu way" because I am now on ubuntu. It is likely that
using binaries *not* built for ubuntu would just compound the problem.
************************************************** **********************
Given the very, very, large user base of MySQL and the large user base of
ubuntu and the distinct characteristics of the debian package management
system, which is not only used by ubuntu, but by others - it would be worthy
to have a ubuntu(debian)-specific support community for mysql.

Enuff said. I'm done.
Tim