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WordPress How to Build a WordPress Theme Content Strategy with WordPress Installing and Setting Up WordPress Locally

Posted by Michael Zeta
Michael Zeta
18,135 Points

Can't select database

There is no explanation in the video about how to create a wordpress database when using Xampp. I'm sure that is the reason for getting the following error when trying to install wordpress locally...

"We were able to connect to the database server (which means your username and password is okay) but not able to select the wp_portfolio database.

Are you sure it exists? Does the user root have permission to use the wp_portfolio database? On some systems the name of your database is prefixed with your username, so it would be like username_wp_portfolio. Could that be the problem?"

Any advice is very appreciated.

Craig Watson
Craig Watson
27,930 Points

Hi Michael,

It would be up to you but because of the differences between installing on a mac and installing on a windows (im on windows) I wrote a quick PDF I could send you it has a full walk through of the process needed to get wordpress installed locally and up and running with database's and users.

Also handy to have for reference to,

Let me know if you do!

Thanks

2 Answers

Darren Healy
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Darren Healy
Front End Web Development Techdegree Student 23,565 Points
Darren Healy
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Darren Healy
Front End Web Development Techdegree Student 23,565 Points

This will help as a start: http://teamtreehouse.com/library/local-wordpress-development/local-wordpress-development/installing-a-local-web-server-on-a-pc

Then, when you think you are at the stage of creating a database. Run Xampp with administrator rights, start Apache and MySQL, then click on the MySQL admin button which will bring up the PHPmyadmin view. This is set up in the same way as it is in the Mamp videos.

This is definitely covered as I've just learned it myself last week and have reviewed the section several times to make sure I'm doing it right.

Hope I've helped!

Emeka Okoye
Emeka Okoye
2,489 Points
Emeka Okoye
Emeka Okoye
2,489 Points

To install WP locally using Xampp, first create your database using PHPMyAdmin. You can call your database anything you like...

When you run the installation in the browser, enter the database name you created, for the username enter 'root', leave the password blank and accept the other defaults.

In the end your config.php should look like this:

/** The name of the database for WordPress */
define('DB_NAME', 'Database name here');

/** MySQL database username */
define('DB_USER', 'root');

/** MySQL database password */
define('DB_PASSWORD', '');

/** MySQL hostname */
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

I hope I've answered your question, if not let me know.