[dokuwiki] MySQL authentication config produces blank screen

I'm clearly missing something simple. I have a working Wiki, ACL on, logins working fine. Wanted to try out MySQL authentication. Followed the steps on the wiki... 

- created the MySQL tables in my local database
- added a user, a group, and a usergroups record
-- the password in the user file (for access to the wiki) is empty
- renamed mysql.conf.php.example
- updated the mysql.conf.php settings for the server, user, password and database 
- added require_once('mysql.conf.php') to local.protected.php
- added

  $conf['authtype'] = 'mysql';
  $conf['auth']['mysql']['debug'] = 1;

to local.php
When I reload my wiki, I get a blank page. If I comment the 'requireonce' and the two lines in local, the wiki comes back to the login screen.
This feels like a config issue, not a data problem. Steps are simple enough; sure am puzzled what I messed up. More importantly, how to diagnose. 

Whil
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