Trouble creating a database in MySQL using java

Question

Hi all,
I am trying to create a program that connects to MySQL and can create databases, tables etc. I can connect to MySQL using the program but I cannot create a database (however if i create the database with the command line i can create tables in the database).
When I try to create a database i get the error
com.mysql.jdbc.exceptions.jdbc4.MySQLSyntaxErrorException: Unknown database 'persondatabase'Here is the code:
import java.sql.*;
class Connect {
public Connect() {
public Connection connectToMySQL(String database_name) {
  Connection con = null;
  try {
   Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver").newInstance();
   con = DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:mysql:///persondatabase", "", "");
  catch(ClassNotFoundException e) { System.out.println(e); }
  catch(InstantiationException e) { System.out.println(e); }
  catch(SQLException e) { System.out.println(e); }
  finally {
   return con;
public void createDatabase(String database_name) {
  Connection con = null;
  Statement stmt = null;
  try {
   con = connectToMySQL(null);  //connect to mysql but not to any one databases
   con.setAutoCommit(false);
   if(!con.isClosed())
    System.out.println("Connected to MySQL. Creating the Database " + database_name);
   String str = "CREATE DATABASE " + database_name;
   stmt = con.createStatement();
   stmt.executeUpdate(str);
   con.commit();
  catch (Exception e2) { }
  finally {
   try {
    stmt.close();
    con.close();
   }catch (Exception e3) { }
public void createPersonDetailsTable(String database_name, String table_name) {
  Connection con = null;
  Statement stmt = null;
  try {
   con = connectToMySQL(database_name);
   con.setAutoCommit(false);
   if(!con.isClosed())
    System.out.println("Connected to " + database_name + " creating the table " + table_name);
   String str = "CREATE TABLE " + table_name + "(id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY, first_name VARCHAR(25), last_name VARCHAR(25), address VARCHAR(40), suburb VARCHAR(20), state VARCHAR(3), post_code INT(1), contact_number INT(10), email_address VARCHAR(40));";
   stmt = con.createStatement();
   stmt.executeUpdate(str);
   con.commit();
  catch (Exception e2) { System.out.println(e2); }
  finally {
   try {
    stmt.close();
    con.close();
   }catch (Exception e3) {  }
}I am wondering if anyone can see where im going wrong? I am currently connecting with an anon account to MySQL.
Here is the program I am using to test the above:
class ConnectionTester {
public ConnectionTester() {
  Connect s = new Connect();
  s.createDatabase("PersonDatabase");  //this throws the error
  //s.createPersonDetailsTable("PersonDatabase", "PersonDetails");
public static void main(String[] arg) {
  ConnectionTester start = new ConnectionTester();
}

Answer 1

you should rethink whether you need to create a database using java. personally i think it's a bad idea. your database should exist and the schema should be ready to go when your app starts. why do you think you need to create one?
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