By default mysql55-server should use /opt/local/etc/mysql55/my.cnf over /etc/my.cnf

[jeremyhu@…]

If both /etc/my.cnf and /opt/local/etc/mysql55/my.cnf are present on the system, mysql55-server will use /etc/my.cnf.

# /opt/local/bin/daemondo --label=mysql55-server --start-cmd /opt/local/lib/mysql55/bin/mysqld --user=_mysql \; --pid=exec
120709  1:38:20 [Warning] The --skip-thread-priority startup option is deprecated and will be removed in MySQL 7.0. This option has no effect as the implied behavior is already the default.
120709  1:38:20 [Warning] Setting lower_case_table_names=2 because file system for /opt/local/var/db/mysql55/ is case insensitive
/opt/local/lib/mysql55/bin/mysqld: Table 'mysql.plugin' doesn't exist
120709  1:38:20 [ERROR] Can't open the mysql.plugin table. Please run mysql_upgrade to create it.
120709  1:38:20 InnoDB: The InnoDB memory heap is disabled
120709  1:38:20 InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use GCC atomic builtins
120709  1:38:20 InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.7
120709  1:38:20 InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, size = 128.0M
120709  1:38:20 InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
120709  1:38:20 InnoDB: highest supported file format is Barracuda.
InnoDB: 127 rollback segment(s) active.
120709  1:38:21  InnoDB: Waiting for the background threads to start
120709  1:38:22 InnoDB: 1.1.8 started; log sequence number 92704
120709  1:38:22 [ERROR] /opt/local/lib/mysql55/bin/mysqld: unknown option '--skip-locking'
120709  1:38:22 [ERROR] Aborting

120709  1:38:22  InnoDB: Starting shutdown...
120709  1:38:22  InnoDB: Shutdown completed; log sequence number 1657222
120709  1:38:22 [Note] /opt/local/lib/mysql55/bin/mysqld: Shutdown complete

/opt/local/etc/mysql55 # grep skip-locking *

/opt/local/etc/mysql55 # grep skip-locking /etc/my.cnf 
skip-locking

[jeremyhu@…]

I know I've brought this up before, but with the move to supporting multiple servers on the same system, it really makes sense to change the ordering. --verbose --help reveals

Default options are read from the following files in the given order:
/etc/my.cnf /etc/mysql/my.cnf /opt/local/etc/mysql55/my.cnf ~/.my.cnf 

I think that should be:

/opt/local/etc/mysql55/my.cnf /opt/local/etc/my.cnf /etc/my.cnf /etc/mysql/my.cnf ~/.my.cnf 

[jeremyhu@…]

Or even just add '--defaults-file=/opt/local/etc/mysql55/my.cnf' to the LaunchDaemon plist...

[ctreleaven@…]

Cc Me!

[pixilla@…]

Replying to jeremyhu@…:

Or even just add '--defaults-file=/opt/local/etc/mysql55/my.cnf' to the LaunchDaemon plist...

Jeremy: This sounds reasonable. I can make this change on Thursday, July 12th. You are welcome to make it now.

[pixilla@…]

Jeremy: Any changes to mysql55-server should have similar changes made to the mysql51-server and percona-server ports.

[pixilla@…]

To my reading the current my.cnf behavior matches the MySQL ​documentation.

I'm going to close this ticket as won't fix. Reopen the ticket and add arguments if you disagree.