mysql-xampp on a mac

I was having a hard time accessing mysql on my mac. I downloaded the GUI tools from mysql.com:

http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/gui-tools/5.0.html

but I kept getting can't connect errors. I had to find the my.cnf file to find out where the connection socket was located.

that file is placed in: Applications/xamppfiles/etc/my.cnf

and in there is the socket. I didn't change anything with the installation, so this should be the default location. In the gui tools you downloaded from the link I provided put:
/Applications/xampp/xamppfiles/var/mysql/mysql.sock in as the connection socket,
localhost as the host,
leave the port alone,
root as the username
and leave the password blank.

That should get you in