private void createConnection() {

        try {
            ConnectionProperties properties = new ConnectionProperties();

            Class.forName(DRIVER_NAME);

            // Create a connection to the database
            String url = DRIVER_URL.replace("{DB}", properties.getDatabase());


            connection = DriverManager.getConnection(url);
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
            throw new DBException("could not connect to database", e);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            throw new DBException("could not connect to database", e);
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            throw new DBException("could not connect to database", e);
		}
    }