osx - Setting `sql-mysql-program` in emacs -

there @ least 3 major overviews come when searching information on using sql emacs (due insufficient reputation can't 'afford' link them here).

i can find no mention in of them of need set variable sql-mysql-program when working mysql servers. yet not m-x sql-mysql work without following advice this question set variable follows:

(setq sql-mysql-program "/path/to/your/mysql")

in fact, tutorials/documentation i've seen highlighting variable in above question , question "emacs-how-to-use-ssh-tunnel-to-connect-to-remote-mysql" (which again can't link because of insufficient reputation.)

an alternate solution seems suggested here how work emacs , mysql, suggests changing value of emacs exec-path.

the question is, of these options preferable, or matter of taste?

and significance of fact none of above-linked overviews of sql/emacs mentions need emacs recognize binary? there wrong emacs?

i spent long time combing sql.el source try understand going on , see (defcustom sql-mysql-program "mysql"…)but in case @ least did not seem trick (perhaps because i'm starting emacs -q option?).

ps. in case matters, m-x emacs-version gnu emacs 24.5.1 (x86_64-apple-darwin12.5.0, ns apple-appkit-1187.40) of 2015-05-01, running on older mac (10.8.5)

note can generalised question of:

what do if emacs can't find executable?

which exec-path list comes play.

as noted in c-hig (emacs) shell ret, exec-path list initialised environment variable path when emacs started (see (emacs) general variables), there multiple ways populate list values need.

using absolute path sql-mysql-program fine, potentially less portable. it's you, really.