open_connection()

int open_connection	(	char *	mysql_hostname,
		char *	mysql_user,
		char *	mysql_password,
		char *	mysql_db,
		int	mysql_port
	)

                               {
    connection  = mysql_init(NULL);
    mysql_real_connect(connection, 
                       mysql_hostname,
                       mysql_user,
                       mysql_password,
                       mysql_db,
                       mysql_port,
                       0, 0);
    if( connection == NULL ) {
        return -1;
    }
    else {
        return 0;
    }
}