# File lib/dbi/utils.rb, line 25
        def self.parse_params(str)
            # improved by John Gorman <jgorman@webbysoft.com>
            params = str.split(";")
            hash = {}
            params.each do |param| 
                key, val = param.split("=") 
                hash[key] = val if key and val
            end 
            if hash.empty?
                database, host = str.split(":")
                hash['database'] = database if database
                hash['host']     = host if host   
            end
            hash 
        end