<?php
$conn = mysql_connect('localhost', 'root', '');
if (!$conn) {
   	die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
} else {
	mysql_select_db('dbf', $conn) or die('Could not select database.');
}
?>

<?php require '../dbf.php';?>

$conn = mysql_connect('localhost', 'root', '');

<?php
mysql_connect('localhost', 'username', 'password') ;
mysql_select_db('dbname');
?>

 $dbhost = 'localhost';
   $dbuser = 'root';
   $dbpass = 'dbpassword';
   $dbname = 'databasename';
   $errorMessage = '';

 $conn = mysql_connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass) or die('Error connecting to mysql');

   mysql_select_db($dbname);

  $sql = "      QUERY              ";

   $result = mysql_query($sql) 
             or die('Query failed. ' . mysql_error()); 

?>