# File lib/dbd/mysql/driver.rb, line 30
        def connect(dbname, user, auth, attr)
            # connect to database server
            hash = DBI::Utils.parse_params(dbname)

            hash['host'] ||= 'localhost'

            # these two connection parameters should be passed as numbers
            hash['port'] = hash['port'].to_i unless hash['port'].nil?
            hash['flag'] = hash['flag'].nil? ? 0 : hash['flag'] = hash['flag'].to_i

            handle = ::Mysql.init

            # Look for options in connect string to be handled
            # through mysql_options() before connecting
            !hash['mysql_read_default_file'].nil? and
            handle.options(::Mysql::READ_DEFAULT_FILE,
                           hash['mysql_read_default_file'])
            !hash['mysql_read_default_group'].nil? and
            handle.options(::Mysql::READ_DEFAULT_GROUP,
                           hash['mysql_read_default_group'])
            # The following options can be handled either using mysql_options()
            # or in the flag argument to connect().
            hash['mysql_compression'].to_i != 0 and
            handle.options(::Mysql::OPT_COMPRESS, nil)
            hash['mysql_local_infile'].to_i != 0 and
            handle.options(::Mysql::OPT_LOCAL_INFILE, true)

            # Look for options to be handled in the flags argument to connect()
            if !hash['mysql_client_found_rows'].nil?
                if hash['mysql_client_found_rows'].to_i != 0
                    hash['flag'] |= ::Mysql::CLIENT_FOUND_ROWS
                else
                    hash['flag'] &= ~::Mysql::CLIENT_FOUND_ROWS
                end
            end

            handle.connect(hash['host'], user, auth, hash['database'], hash['port'], hash['socket'], hash['flag'])

            return Database.new(handle, attr)
        rescue MyError => err
            error(err)
        end