====== Connecting to an external database ======

To be able to connect to an external database you need to specify settings for the database. This is done in the **Database** tab of the [[Preferences|preferences window]], accessed by selecting **File | Preferences**.

This window have four settings:\\


  * **Driver** - Don’t change anything here. It should be “com.mysql.jdbc.Driver”\\

  * **URL** - Should contain the string “jdbc:mysql:%%//%%//ADDRESS//” where //ADDRESS// is an address to your database.\\

  * **User name** - Your user name for the database in question.\\

  * **Password** - your password for the database in question.

After the settings are properly filled in you must press the **Apply and test** button to make sure the connection works.

===== See also =====

  * [[Preferences|Preferences]]
  * Parameter databases
  * [[Exporting_and_importing_data|Exporting and importing data]]