-- retrieve the settings 
    local server = get( "a-t" ) or "-" -- server 
    local user = get( "al-a" ) or "-" -- username 
    local password = get( "-" ) or "-" -- password 
    local db = get( "-" ) or "-" -- database 
    local port = get( "port" ) or 3306 
    local socket = get( "socket" ) or nil 
    handler = mysql_connect ( server, user, password, db, port, socket )