Linking MAMP on Mac to a different instance of MySQL and phpMyAdmin - mysql

Question

I am using macOS Sierra 10.12.2, MAMP 3.0.7.3.
I have been using MAMP with the MySQL it comes with for a while but I need to run something (Magento 2) that requires a higher version of MySQL than the version MAMP comes with, and I don't want to upgrade that instance of MySQL that comes with MAMP. So I am trying to install a different instance of MySQL for use on this project. I still want to use MAMP's Apache server with PHP to run the project though. I also still want to be able to switch back to the other instance of MySQL.
I am essentially trying to follow this tutorial, but I also want to install phpMyAdmin: http://www.human-element.com/installing-magento2-on-mac-for-local-development/
I have installed MySQL 5.6.35 to /usr/local/mysql/bin
The MAMP MySQL is at /Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql
/Applications/MAMP/Library/bin/mysql --version is 5.5.38
mysql --version is 5.6.35
It seems to be installed correctly but I want to use phpMyAdmin for it, which is where I am having trouble. I downloaded phpMyAdmin 4.6.6 and installed it to /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/phpMyAdmin-4.6.6 (as I still need MAMP to run it). But it seems to be linking with the MAMP instance of MySQL and not the new instance of MySQL. I can only log in with credentials for the MAMP MySQL users and I see all my MAMP databases.
If I go to localhost/phpMyAdmin-4.6.6/setup I think the setup must be wrong but I'm not sure how to specify the other MySQL instance:
I tried changing the server socket path to /tmp/mysql.sock too - this had no noticeable effect.
I also have some symbolic links set up, although I admit I don't really understand what this is for...
cd /var/mysql/
# This one was set up before when I was just using MAMP:
mysql.sock -> /Applications/MAMP/tmp/mysql/mysql.sock
# This is the equivalent I set up (removing above one) for the new instance, but not sure if correct:
mysql.sock -> /tmp/mysql.sock
I've tried switching between both but it doesn't seem to have any effect on phpMyAdmin.
Can someone explain how I link the new version of phpMyAdmin with the new instance of MySQL?

Answer 1

Since you're essentially trying to run two MySQL instances at the same time, you have to make sure they're not using the same socket and TCP/IP port. These things are configured in the MySQL configuration file. I suggest not messing with the MAMP installed version, so edit the one you installed and make sure the port and socket path are different. Also make sure your data directory is different; you can't use the same datadir for two MySQL instances at the same time, and certainly not changing between versions, either. Once you have that sorted out, you can configure phpMyAdmin to connect to them both (you can define more than one server, based on port, hostname, and/or socket).