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MySQL 5.1 Reference Manual :: 4 MySQL Programs :: 4.7 MySQL Program Development Utilities :: 4.7.2 mysql_config — Get Compile Options for Compiling Clients
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4.7.2. mysql_config — Get Compile Options for Compiling Clients

mysql_config provides you with useful information for compiling your MySQL client and connecting it to MySQL.

mysql_config supports the following options.

  • --cflags

    Compiler flags to find include files and critical compiler flags and defines used when compiling the libmysqlclient library. The options returned are tied to the specific compiler that was used when the library was created and might clash with the settings for your own compiler. Use --include for more portable options that contain only include paths.

  • --include

    Compiler options to find MySQL include files.

  • --libmysqld-libs, --embedded

    Libraries and options required to link with the MySQL embedded server.

  • --libs

    Libraries and options required to link with the MySQL client library.

  • --libs_r

    Libraries and options required to link with the thread-safe MySQL client library.

  • --plugindir

    The default plugin directory path name, defined when configuring MySQL. This option was added in MySQL 5.1.24.

  • --port

    The default TCP/IP port number, defined when configuring MySQL.

  • --socket

    The default Unix socket file, defined when configuring MySQL.

  • --version

    Version number for the MySQL distribution.

If you invoke mysql_config with no options, it displays a list of all options that it supports, and their values: 

shell> mysql_config
Usage: /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql_config [options]
Options:
  --cflags         [-I/usr/local/mysql/include/mysql -mcpu=pentiumpro]
  --include        [-I/usr/local/mysql/include/mysql]
  --libs           [-L/usr/local/mysql/lib/mysql -lmysqlclient -lz
                    -lcrypt -lnsl -lm -L/usr/lib -lssl -lcrypto]
  --libs_r         [-L/usr/local/mysql/lib/mysql -lmysqlclient_r
                    -lpthread -lz -lcrypt -lnsl -lm -lpthread]
  --socket         [/tmp/mysql.sock]
  --port           [3306]
  --version        [4.0.16]
  --libmysqld-libs [-L/usr/local/mysql/lib/mysql -lmysqld -lpthread -lz
                    -lcrypt -lnsl -lm -lpthread -lrt]

You can use mysql_config within a command line to include the value that it displays for a particular option. For example, to compile a MySQL client program, use mysql_config as follows: 

shell> CFG=/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql_config
shell> sh -c "gcc -o progname `$CFG --include` progname.c `$CFG --libs`"

When you use mysql_config this way, be sure to invoke it within backtick (“`”) characters. That tells the shell to execute it and substitute its output into the surrounding command.