local.config.php just had a couple characters in it, so I pasted the text above into it, and changed the parameters.
That info is also entered in /phpVMS/install/install.php when I try to run it.
I get the same error message, ending in "ezdb_mysql.class.php on line 140"
The database is on the same hosting service as the site I am installing from. That shouldn't be an issue.