[KLUG Members] MySQL and PEAR, ripe fruti, for config, or going sour?

[Robert G. Brown]

I am installing a package that uses MySQL through an abtraction
layer known as PEAR (it stands for PHP Extension and Application 
Repository). Overall, this look like good engineering, if nothing
else it makes switching database engines easier, which is IMO a
Good Thing. PHP applications form up some requests as URLs, which
are then processed by the PEAR layer into the specific function
calls required to use a particular database.

Because I installed this package, I also installed MySQL, and I
tested it (perhaps too informally) by starting the daemon and then
calling the mysql command line client and issuing a few commands.
This told me the serve was up and working, and I had a merry time
creating a few tables and so forth.

The installation procedure for the application requires running a
php script via a browser, but when I do, I get an access problem
that appears to come from MySQL. I went into the code and modified
it a little, to get a better error message, and display the URL
that is passed to PEAR. Here's what I see in the browser:

 
DSN= mysql://chalktalk:blackboard@localhost 
*** Access denied for user: 'chalktalk@localhost' (Using password: YES) 

The application is attempting to connect to MySQL (on the local host)
as user chalktalk (password "blackboard").

I've seen some veiled references to user administration in the man
pages for various MySQL programs, but there does not seem to be a
consolidated reference or method for adding users. Oh, chalktalk is 
a user name on the local host, and blackboard is the password to that
account.

I'm going off to RTFM; if anyone has some words of advice [and "don't 
use MySQL" is not acceptable advise! :) ] about how to resolve what
really looks like a user configuration issue, please don't be shy!!
If I find a compact answer from reading and experimenting, I'll post
it.
                                                    Regards,
                                                    ---> RGB <---