MySql: does a database exist?

[HockeyFan]

I know how to do this in SQL Server, but need the equivalent query to determine if a database exists in MySql.

In SQL Server, the query is:
Select 1 From Information_Schema.Schemata
Where Catalog_Name='whatevermydatabaseisnamed'

I'm not that familiar with MySQL, but betting the statement is different.

[Niheel]

Can you explain the query in english. I don't understand Information_Schema.Schemata. Is that the name of a table? Is Catalog_Name, the column?

[HockeyFan]

Information_Schema.Schemata is actually a view
Information_Schema is the owner and Schemata is the view
Catalog_name is the database name
This is a canned view in SQLserver.

It is the following code:

select
    db.name                        as CATALOG_NAME
    ,USER_NAME()                as SCHEMA_NAME
    ,USER_NAME()                as SCHEMA_OWNER
    ,convert(sysname, NULL)        as DEFAULT_CHARACTER_SET_CATALOG
    ,convert(sysname, NULL)        as DEFAULT_CHARACTER_SET_SCHEMA
    ,a_cha.name                    as DEFAULT_CHARACTER_SET_NAME
FROM
    master.dbo.sysdatabases         db,
    master.dbo.syscharsets        a_cha --charset/1001, not sortorder.
WHERE
    a_cha.type = 1001 --- type is charset
    AND a_cha.id = convert(tinyint, DatabasePropertyEx(db.name, 'sqlcharset'))