mysql_install_db initializes the MariaDB data directory and
creates the system tables that it contains, if they do not exist.
To invoke mysql_install_db, use the following syntax:
shell> mysql_install_db [options]
Because the MariaDB server, mysqld, needs to access the data
directory when it runs later, you should either run
mysql_install_db from the same account that will be used for
running mysqld or run it as root and use the --user option to
indicate the user name that mysqld will run as. It might be
necessary to specify other options such as --basedir or --datadir
if mysql_install_db does not use the correct locations for the
installation directory or data directory. For example:
shell> bin/mysql_install_db --user=mysql \
--basedir=/opt/mysql/mysql \
--datadir=/opt/mysql/mysql/data
mysql_install_db needs to invoke mysqld with the --bootstrap and
--skip-grant-tables options (see Section 2.3.2, 'Typical
configure Options'). If MariaDB was configured with the
--disable-grant-options option, --bootstrap and
--skip-grant-tables will be disabled. To handle this, set the
MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP environment variable to the full path name of a
server that has all options enabled. mysql_install_db will use
that server.
mysql_install_db supports the following options, which can be
specified on the command line or in the [mysql_install_db] and
(if they are common to mysqld) [mysqld] option file groups.
• --basedir=path
The path to the MariaDB installation directory.
• --builddir=path
If using --srcdir with out-of-directory builds, you will need
to set this to the location of the build directory where
built files reside..
• --cross-bootstrap
For internal use. Used when building the MariaDB system
tables on a different host than the target..
• --datadir=path, --ldata=path
The path to the MariaDB data directory.
• --defaults-extra-file=filename
Set filename as the file to read default options from after
the global defaults files has been read. Must be given as
first option.
• --defaults-file=filename
Set filename as the file to read default options from,
override global defaults files. Must be given as first
option.
• --defaults-group-suffix=name
In addition to the given groups, also read groups with this
suffix.
• --force
Cause mysql_install_db to run even if DNS does not work. In
that case, grant table entries that normally use host names
will use IP addresses.
• --help
Display a help message and exit.
• --no-defaults
Do not read default options from any option file. This must
be given as the first argument.
• --print-defaults
Print the program argument list and exit. This must be given
as the first argument.
• --rpm
For internal use. This option is used by RPM files during the
MariaDB installation process.
• --skip-name-resolve
Use IP addresses rather than host names when creating grant
table entries. This option can be useful if your DNS does not
work.
• --srcdir=path
For internal use. The directory under which mysql_install_db
looks for support files such as the error message file and
the file for populating the help tables.4.
• --user=user_name
The login user name to use for running mysqld. Files and
directories created by mysqld will be owned by this user. You
must be root to use this option. By default, mysqld runs
using your current login name and files and directories that
it creates will be owned by you.
• --verbose
Verbose mode. Print more information about what the program
does.
• --windows
For internal use. This option is used for creating Windows
distributions.
