[development] install should optionally create the database

[Larry Garfield]

On Thu, October 12, 2006 8:02 am, Michelle Cox said:
> (Changed the topic to match the other because that one is better -- hope
> that doesn't screw up threading )
>
> On 10/12/2006 1:03:20 AM, Kamal Mustafa (kamal.mustafa at gmail.com) wrote:
>> what I'm
>> thinking about.
>> it's does not worth the effort. everyone that
>> need to set up a website should at least know how to create the db,
>> either through the console or their admin cp. For those who don't
>> know, we can just direct them to their control panel documentation or
>> the rdbms documentation.
>
>
> In another post, Dries said he thought it was worth it, so I guess we're
> outvoted. ;)
>
> I guess he's right that it would be nice to have the choice. If it would
> work on my system, I wouldn't mind having the db created just to make test
> sites easier. I'm curious, though, is there anyone out there on shared
> hosting that this would work for? Both A Small Orange and Site5 that I've
> been on have a special interface for creating databases. I can't even
> create
> a new one through SQLYog.
>
> Michelle

While I agree that it would be nice, the use case for it is fairly small. 
If you're on most shared hosts, you don't have access to create databases
from SQL.  If you're on a host where you have access to create databases
from SQL, then you should already be comfortable doing so in under 30
seconds (otherwise you shouldn't have that sort of access in the first
place).

Really, auto-database (and user!) creation is a convenience feature for
power-admins.  It sounds like a nice convenience, but it's a convenience
aimed at the group that is in least need of it to start with.

Also, that means that for the majority of users, it's an extra install
step that they cannot complete.  "Why does this database creation step
fail?  It's the first step, but now it's telling me to do some other
thing?  The first step of the installer doesn't work!  Drupal sucks!"

That's my main concern with adding a db-creation attempt. :-)

--Larry Garfield