Complete MySQL/osCommerce Newbie

I have never tried using a shopping cart, or MySQL of any sort. I have my osCommerce in place and I have .htaccess and .htpasswd working OK. However, when I try to go to my admin, I get the following message:

Warning: mysql_connect(): Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/tmp/mysql.sock' (61) in /www/c/cincostar/htdocs/catalog/admin/includes/functions/database.php on line 19
Unable to connect to database server!

I created an account with powweb's server at phpMyAdmin 2.5.4 for a database.

I am flying completely in the dark here, and have no idea really how MySQL works in conjuction with osCommerce and phpMyAdmin. I want to know if anyone can point me in the direction of a website that explains how all of this works together so that I can figure out what I am doing wrong and how to fix it.


Thanks for any help.

[stevel]

There is a file catalog/admin/includes/configure.php that tells the osCommerce admin panel the details about your database. It would appear that this information is wrong. You will have to fetch the file, edit it so that it is correct (server name, database name, username and password) and then upload it back to PowWeb. There is a similar file (but not the same contents!) at catalog/includes/configure.php

There is no website that explains "how all of this works together". You don't really need to know much about mySQL to use osCommerce (doesn't hurt, though), but a rudimentary understanding of PHP is essential.