Cant see databases of mysql from command prompt in ubuntu 12.04

Question

1) I have installed mysql server and mysql client through apt-get install mysql-server and apt-get install mysql-client

2) when I run sudo netstat -tap | grep mysql, I see following:

tcp        0      0 localhost:mysql         *:*                     LISTEN      15138/mysqld

I think it is running

3) now I go to usr/share/mysql and type: show databases; it shows me following,

The program 'show' is currently not installed.  You can install it by typing:
apt-get install nmh

Can anybody please tell me what is the problem ? Am I running command from wrong directory ?

Thanks,

Answer 1

You first need to login to your mysql account by this command:

mysql -u <username> -p

<username> should be replaced by your username. Then it will ask you for your password. Enter you password and run this command :

show databases;

It will be better if you also install :

sudo apt-get install mysql-common

Answer 2

That's because you're trying to enter SQL commands from the Ubuntu command line. You need to enter them from the MySQL command line:

$ mysql -h localhost -u user -p password

mysql> show databases;