[GRASS-user] Connecting GRASS to a MySQL database?

[PixelPusher]

Sorry for the n00bish question, but I'm confused by the GRASS on-line 
docs.

I have a MySQL database running on my local computer. Let's say that the 
MySQL user name is TRD and he has access to a database called TRD where 
I want to store my StateBoundaries table.

I can start the  GRASS (6.4.0) Python interface and select 
"Database->Manage Databases->Connect" from the pulldown menu. I am then 
faced with the choice of driver, where I select "mysql". But, then it 
needs the Database name. This is where I get lost. The string in the 
text field says, "$GISDBASE/$LOCATION_NAME/$MAPSET/TRD". I'm not sure 
where GRASS is getting the values that substitute for those things that 
look like script variables. I guess the "$LOCATION_NAME" and "$MAPSET" 
come from the location and mapset that I selected when GRASS started. 
But, where is "$GISDBASE" set?

I also step through the log in process by setting the appropriate user 
name and password. I know that I can use this combination to access the 
MySQL database through its command line interface.

The next thing I do is try to test the connection. However, this results 
in lots of errors like, "Cannot connect to MySQL, Access denied for 
user" and "ERROR: Unable to open database 
<$GISDBASE/$LOCATION_NAME/$MAPSET/TRD>". It looks like GRASS is not 
using the right username and password and not doing the variable 
substitution that I was expecting.

Can anoyone give me some hints on how to get this thing started?

Thanks!
Thom

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    Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time
    he will pick himself up and continue.              -- Winston 
Churchill