--- loncom/interface/lonmysql.pm	2003/03/21 16:04:42	1.12
+++ loncom/interface/lonmysql.pm	2003/04/18 15:50:55	1.13
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # MySQL utility functions
 #
-# $Id: lonmysql.pm,v 1.12 2003/03/21 16:04:42 matthew Exp $
+# $Id: lonmysql.pm,v 1.13 2003/04/18 15:50:55 matthew Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -344,6 +344,33 @@ sub connect_to_db {
     return 1;
 }
 
+###############################
+
+=pod
+
+=item &verify_sql_connection()
+
+Inputs: none.
+
+Returns: 0 (failure) or 1 (success)
+
+Checks to make sure the database can be connected to.  It does not
+initialize anything in the lonmysql package.
+
+=cut
+
+###############################
+sub verify_sql_connection {
+    my $connection;
+    if (! ($connection = DBI->connect("DBI:mysql:loncapa","www",
+                                      $Apache::lonnet::perlvar{'lonSqlAccess'},
+                                      { RaiseError=>0,PrintError=>0}))) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    undef($connection);
+    return 1;
+}
+
 ###############################
 
 =pod