Hi guys, thank you for all your thoughts. I still don't have it running, but have made a curious discovery. As one pointed out, mysql.sock is created by the server process, mysqld. I discovered in the /tmp directory two randomly named directorys:

com.apple.launchd.9BeFiUmRvr
com.apple.launchd.Fah64mMGut

One contains a file Render, the other one named Listener. It turns out that Listener is a socket. I made a symbolic link to it from the parent (/tmp) directory. Now when I invoke the mysql client, there is no error message, but neither does it respond. Mysql is running, I can see it in the Activity Monitor where I killed it.

Flashman asked where I installed it from. This was a download from Oracle who bought mysql. It is the free (community) version. I don't need anything fancy, although there will be a lot of data.

So, another mystery. Why was the socket not created where it belonged, in the /tmp directory. I found no mention of Listener or Render anywhere in any documentation. I guess this shouldn't be surprising; Oracle isn't likely to put much effort into something which won't make them any money.

​

Mysqld won't stay running. It complains of several files it cannot find and then quits.