Warning: mysql_connect(): [2002] No such file or directory (trying to connect via unix:///tmp/mysql.sock) in

Question

For some reason mysql on OS X gets the locations of the required socket file a bit wrong, but thankfully the solution is as simple as setting up a symbolic link.

You may have a socket (appearing as a zero length file) as /tmp/mysql.sock or /var/mysql/mysql.sock, but one or more apps is looking in the other location for it. Find out with this command:

ls -l /tmp/mysql.sock /var/mysql/mysql.sock

Rather than move the socket, edit config files, and have to remember to keep edited files local and away from servers where the paths are correct, simply create a symbolic link so your Mac finds the required socket, even when it's looking in the wrong place!

If you have /tmp/mysql.sock but no /var/mysql/mysql.sock then...

cd /var 
sudo mkdir mysql
sudo chmod 755 mysql
cd mysql
sudo ln -s /tmp/mysql.sock mysql.sock

If you have /var/mysql/mysql.sock but no /tmp/mysql.sock then...

cd /tmp
ln -s /var/mysql/mysql.sock mysql.sock

You will need permissions to create the directory and link, so just prefix the commands above with sudo if necessary.

I also had this error, but could only fix it through the suggestion here.

To summarize, use:

127.0.0.1

Instead of:

localhost

The reason is that "localhost" is a special name for the MySQL driver making it use the UNIX socket to connect to MySQL instead of the a TCP socket.

I was having the same problem and this is how I fixed it:

I had this and it didn't work:

$con = mysql_connect('localhost', 'root', '1234');

I did this and it worked:

$con = mysql_connect(':/Applications/MAMP/tmp/mysql/mysql.sock', 'root', '1234');

Instead of using the mysql server, I connected directly to the Unix Socket. Worked for me.

MySQL socket is located, in general, in /tmp/mysql.sock or /var/mysql/mysql.sock, but probably PHP looks in the wrong place.

1. Check where is your socket with:

    sudo /usr/libexec/locate.updatedb
   

2. When the updatedb is terminated:

    locate mysql.sock
   

3. Then locate your php.ini:

    php -i | grep php.ini
   

   this will output something like:

    Configuration File (php.ini) Path => /opt/local/etc/php54
    Loaded Configuration File => /opt/local/etc/php54/php.ini
   

4. Edit your php.ini

    sudo vim /opt/local/etc/php54/php.ini
   

5. Change the lines:

    pdo_mysql.default_socket=/tmp/mysql.sock
    mysql.default_socket=/tmp/mysql.sock
    mysqli.default_socket = /tmp/mysql.sock
   

   where /tmp/mysql.sock is the path to your socket.

6. Save your modifications and exit ESC + SHIFT: x

7. Restart Apache

    sudo apachectl stop
    sudo apachectl start
   

I am on XAMPP on Mac OS X, and Brian Lowe's solution above worked with a slight modification.

The mysql.sock file is actually in "/Applications/xampp/xamppfiles/var/mysql/" folder. So had to link it up both in /tmp and /var/mysql. I haven't checked which one is used by PHP command line, but this did the fix, so I am happy :-)

sudo su
ln -s /Applications/xampp/xamppfiles/var/mysql/mysql.sock /tmp/mysql.sock
mkdir /var/mysql
ln -s /Applications/xampp/xamppfiles/var/mysql/mysql.sock /var/mysql/mysql.sock

Mac OS X EL Capitan + MAMP Pro Do this

cd /var
sudo mkdir mysql
sudo chmod 755 mysql
cd mysql
sudo ln -s /Applications/MAMP/tmp/mysql/mysql.sock mysql.sock

Then do this

cd /tmp
sudo ln -s /Applications/MAMP/tmp/mysql/mysql.sock mysql.sock

Hope this saves you some time.

The reason is that php cannot find the correct path of mysql.sock.

Please make sure that your mysql is running first.

Then, please confirm that which path is the mysql.sock located, for example /tmp/mysql.sock

then add this path string to php.ini:

• mysql.default_socket = /tmp/mysql.sock
• mysqli.default_socket = /tmp/mysql.sock
• pdo_mysql.default_socket = /tmp/mysql.sock

Finally, restart Apache.