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Connect

Establishes a connection to a MySQL database server.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
info

If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Inputs​

  • Credentials - The MySQL database credentials containing server, port, database, username, and password. Use a Database credential (Category 5) from the vault.
  • Parameters - Additional connection string parameters (optional). For example: SslMode=none;AllowPublicKeyRetrieval=true

Options​

  • None

Output​

  • Connection Id - A unique identifier for the established database connection. Store this value to use in subsequent MySQL operations.

How It Works​

The Connect node establishes a connection to a MySQL database using the provided credentials. When executed, the node:

  1. Validates the provided database credentials
  2. Extracts server, port, database, username, and password from the credential
  3. Constructs a MySQL connection string
  4. Appends any additional connection parameters if provided
  5. Creates and opens a new MySqlConnection
  6. Generates a unique connection ID (GUID)
  7. Stores the connection in an internal connections dictionary
  8. Returns the connection ID as output

Requirements​

  • Valid MySQL database credentials with the following fields:
    • server - Hostname or IP address of the MySQL server
    • port - Port number (default: 3306)
    • database - Database name (optional)
    • username - MySQL username (required)
    • password - MySQL password
  • MySQL server must be accessible from the robot
  • Proper network connectivity and firewall rules

Error Handling​

The node will return specific errors in the following cases:

  • ErrCredentials - No credentials provided, or missing required fields (username or server)
  • ErrConnection - Cannot connect to MySQL server (invalid credentials, server not reachable, network issues)

Usage Examples​

Basic Connection​

// Store the connection ID from the Connect node output
const connId = $item.conn_id;

// Use this connection ID in subsequent Query, Insert, etc. nodes

Connection with SSL Disabled​

When connecting to local MySQL servers or development environments, you may need to disable SSL:

Parameters: SslMode=none;AllowPublicKeyRetrieval=true

Connection with Custom Port​

Configure your Database credential with:

  • Server: localhost
  • Port: 3307
  • Database: myapp_db
  • Username: myapp_user
  • Password: secure_password

Common Use Cases​

  1. Web Scraping with Database Storage - Connect to MySQL to store scraped data
  2. Business Automation - Query customer data, update orders, manage inventory
  3. Report Generation - Extract data from MySQL for automated reporting
  4. Data Migration - Move data between systems using MySQL as source or destination
  5. Scheduled Jobs - Automate database maintenance, backups, and cleanup tasks

Tips for Effective Use​

  • Store Connection ID - Always store the connection ID in a variable for reuse across multiple database operations
  • Use Vault Credentials - Never hardcode database credentials; use the vault's Database credential type
  • Connection Pooling - Reuse the same connection ID for multiple operations to improve performance
  • Proper Cleanup - Always use the Disconnect node at the end of your flow to close connections
  • Error Handling - Wrap database operations in Try-Catch blocks to handle connection failures gracefully
  • SSL Configuration - For production, use SSL connections; for development, you may disable SSL in parameters

Common Errors and Solutions​

Cannot Connect to MySQL Server​

Error: ErrConnection: Cannot connect to MySQL server

Solutions:

  • Verify the MySQL server is running
  • Check server hostname/IP address is correct
  • Ensure the port number is correct (default: 3306)
  • Verify firewall rules allow connections on MySQL port
  • Check username and password are correct
  • Test connection from MySQL client tools first

Missing Credentials Error​

Error: ErrCredentials: No credentials provided

Solutions:

  • Select a Database credential from the vault in the Credentials field
  • Ensure the credential contains required fields (server, username)

Authentication Plugin Error​

Error: Authentication plugin issues or public key retrieval errors

Solutions:

  • Add to Parameters: AllowPublicKeyRetrieval=true
  • Or update MySQL user to use mysql_native_password authentication

Connection String Parameters​

Common parameters you can use in the Parameters field:

  • SslMode=none - Disable SSL encryption
  • SslMode=Required - Require SSL encryption
  • AllowPublicKeyRetrieval=true - Allow public key retrieval for authentication
  • ConnectionTimeout=30 - Set connection timeout in seconds
  • DefaultCommandTimeout=300 - Set command timeout in seconds
  • CharSet=utf8mb4 - Set character set
  • AllowUserVariables=true - Allow user variables in SQL
  • UseAffectedRows=false - Use matched rows instead of affected rows

See Also​