Symlink error when installing MySQL via Homebrew

Trying to install MySQL via Homebrew. The install seems to work fine but i get an error:

"Error: The linking step did not complete successfully
The formula built, but is not symlinked into /usr/local
You can try again using `brew link mysql'"

Naturally, after this I ran:

brew link mysql

Which spat out:

Error: Could not symlink file: /usr/local/Cellar/mysql/5.5.20/include/typelib.h
/usr/local/include is not writable. You should change its permissions.

So I ran it with sudo and got a "cowardly refusing to brew link mysql".

Asad Syed

Posted 2012-06-11T19:40:22.423

Reputation: 253

Answers

Obviously that folder doesn't belong to you. Just try with:

sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/include

You never have to use brew with sudo. If you do, something is wrong with your installation.

Then, try the link command again.

slhck

Posted 2012-06-11T19:40:22.423

Reputation: 182 472

When I do I'm getting this error .. chown: /usr/local/include: No such file or directory .. – Srikanth Jeeva – 2014-09-09T20:50:51.793

There is no directory named like include. I get errors with another directory, so I run it for /usr/local and works fine. – José Castro – 2014-11-13T22:36:04.560

slhck's answer is great, but I think it is a little cleaner if you are a member of the admin group (probably are if you are using Homebrew) to make all locations in /usr/local writable to group.

sudo chmod -R g+w /usr/local

iain

Posted 2012-06-11T19:40:22.423

Reputation: 191

did not work for me when linking nmap installed by brew on a mac. chosen answer worked. – mles – 2015-10-16T10:29:14.690