Index: C:/workspace/c4/java/net/sf/l2j/L2DatabaseFactory.java
===================================================================
--- C:/workspace/c4/java/net/sf/l2j/L2DatabaseFactory.java	(revision 1654)
+++ C:/workspace/c4/java/net/sf/l2j/L2DatabaseFactory.java	(working copy)
@@ -44,10 +44,9 @@
     private static L2DatabaseFactory _instance;
     private ProviderType _Provider_Type;
 	private DataSource _source;
-	
     // =========================================================
     // Constructor
-	public L2DatabaseFactory() throws SQLException
+	public L2DatabaseFactory() // throws SQLException
 	{
 		try
 		{
@@ -59,19 +58,52 @@
 
 			PoolConfig config = new PoolConfig();
 			config.setAutoCommitOnClose(true);
-			config.setInitialPoolSize(1);
+			config.setInitialPoolSize(3);   // 3 is the default for c3p0 anyway  
+											// if > MaxPoolSize, it will be ignored - no worry
+											// (as said in c3p0 docs, it's only a suggestion
+											// how many connections to acquire to start with)
+
 			config.setMinPoolSize(1);
 			config.setMaxPoolSize(Config.DATABASE_MAX_CONNECTIONS);
-			config.setMaxStatements(100);
-			config.setIdleConnectionTestPeriod(0); // test idle connection every 1 minute
-			config.setMaxIdleTime(0); // remove unused connection after 10 minutes
+
+			
+			config.setAcquireRetryAttempts(0); // try to obtain connections indefinitely (0 = never quit)
+			config.setAcquireRetryDelay(500);  // 500 miliseconds wait before try to acquire connection again
+			config.setCheckoutTimeout(0);      // 0 = wait indefinitely for new connection
+											   // if pool is exhausted
+			config.setAcquireIncrement(5); 	   // if pool is exhausted, get 5 more connections at a time
+			// cause there is a "long" delay on acquire connection
+			// so taking more than one connection at once will make connection pooling 
+			// more effective. 
+			
+			// this "connection_test_table" is automatically created if not already there
+			config.setAutomaticTestTable("connection_test_table");  // very very fast test, don't worry
+			config.setTestConnectionOnCheckin(true);				// this will *not* make l2j slower in any way
+			
+			// testing OnCheckin used with IdleConnectionTestPeriod is faster than  testing on checkout
+			
+			config.setIdleConnectionTestPeriod(60); // test idle connection every 60 sec
+			config.setMaxIdleTime(60*60); // 0 = idle connections never expire 
+									  // *THANKS* to connection testing configured above
+									  // but I'd prefer to disconnect all connections 
+									  // not used for more than 1 hour  
 
+			// enables statement caching,  there is a "semi-bug" in c3p0 0.9.0 but in 0.9.0.2 and later it's fixed
+			//config.setMaxStatements(0);   // till c3p0 fixes bug with "possible threadlock"
+			//config.setMaxStatementsPerConnection(500);
+
+			config.setBreakAfterAcquireFailure(false);  // never fail if any way possible
+														// setting this to true will make
+														// c3p0 "crash" and refuse to work 
+														// till restart thus making acquire
+														// errors "FATAL" ... we don't want that
+														// it should be possible to recover
+						
 			Class.forName(Config.DATABASE_DRIVER).newInstance();
 
 			if (Config.DEBUG) _log.fine("Database Connection Working");
-
 			DataSource unpooled = DataSources.unpooledDataSource(Config.DATABASE_URL, Config.DATABASE_LOGIN, Config.DATABASE_PASSWORD);
-			_source = DataSources.pooledDataSource( unpooled, config);
+			_source=DataSources.pooledDataSource( unpooled, config);
 			
 			/* Test the connection */
 			_source.getConnection().close();
@@ -83,14 +115,14 @@
 		}
 		catch (SQLException x)
 		{
-			if (Config.DEBUG) _log.fine("Database Connection FAILED");
-			// rethrow the exception
-			throw x;
+			if (Config.DEBUG) _log.warning("Database Connection FAILED");
+			// do not rethrow the exception - no point, it will crash server anyway
+			// throw x;
 		}
 		catch (Exception e)
 		{
-			if (Config.DEBUG) _log.fine("Database Connection FAILED");
-			throw new SQLException("could not init DB connection:"+e);
+			if (Config.DEBUG) _log.warning("Database Connection FAILED - could not init DB connection: "+e);
+		//	throw new SQLException("could not init DB connection:"+e);
 		}
 	}
     
@@ -113,10 +145,10 @@
     {
         try {
             ((PooledDataSource) _source).close();
-        } catch (SQLException e) {_log.log(Level.INFO, "", e);}
+        } catch (SQLException e) {_log.log(Level.WARNING, "", e);}
         try {
             DataSources.destroy(_source);
-        } catch (SQLException e) {_log.log(Level.INFO, "", e);}
+        } catch (SQLException e) {_log.log(Level.WARNING, "", e);}
     }
 
     public final String safetyString(String[] whatToCheck)
@@ -141,7 +173,7 @@
 
     // =========================================================
     // Property - Public
-	public static L2DatabaseFactory getInstance() throws SQLException
+	public static L2DatabaseFactory getInstance() // throws SQLException
 	{
 		if (_instance == null)
 		{
@@ -150,11 +182,31 @@
 		return _instance;
 	}
 	
-	public Connection getConnection() throws SQLException
+	public Connection getConnection(boolean use_transactions) //throws SQLException
 	{
-		return _source.getConnection();
+		Connection con=null;
+		
+		while(con==null)
+		{
+			try
+			{
+			con=_source.getConnection();
+		        con.setAutoCommit(!use_transactions);
+			} catch (SQLException e)
+			{
+				_log.warning("L2DatabaseFactory: getConnection() failed with error "+e+ ", trying again");
+			}
+		};
+		return con;
 	}
 	
+	public Connection getConnection()  // for compatibility and transparent switch to transactions
+									   // old method defaults to no-transactions
+	{
+		Connection con=getConnection(false);
+		return con;
+	}	
+	
 	public int getBusyConnectionCount() throws SQLException
 	{
 	    return ((PooledDataSource) _source).getNumBusyConnectionsDefaultUser();