MySQL 5.5 Release Notes
int mysql_server_init(int argc, char **argv, char
**groups)
Description
This function initializes the MySQL library, which must be done
before you call any other MySQL function. However,
mysql_server_init() is
deprecated and you should call
mysql_library_init() instead.
See Section 23.8.7.40, “mysql_library_init()”.
Return Values
Zero for success. Nonzero if an error occurred.
mysql_server_init apparently does not copy the strings you supply it. It simply makes use of the pointers. Be sure that any string variables you put in place of the server arguments persist throughout your program or some functions may fail. Here's an example:
char Data[] = "--datadir=c:/blah/blah/blah/";
const char *server_args[] =
{
"this_program",
Data,
"--skip-innodb"
};
mysql_server_init(etc...);
Now the function ends and the 'Data' var is obliterated. mysql_server_init will execute correctly, but later, in a different function mysql_real_connect will fail mysteriously, claiming it can't find the specified database.
Seems simple, even obvious. I won't mention how long it took me to trace the problem in my program...