Reading SQLITE database from Android memory

Question

I have created an sqlite database on a Java application and have pushed it to my android. I want to read this database (probably write into it later too). Most of the tutorials I have found so far create the DB within the android...

I don't think I need to override the onCreate() and onUpdate() methods of SQLiteOpenHelper class do I ? Also the part that in the below tutorial he has created the tables, since I already have my database

Any tutorial, sample code u guys might know of ?

public class DatabaseHandler extends SQLiteOpenHelper {

    // All Static variables
    // Database Version
    private static final int DATABASE_VERSION = 1;

    // Database Name
    private static final String DATABASE_NAME = "contactsManager";

    // Contacts table name
    private static final String TABLE_CONTACTS = "contacts";

    // Contacts Table Columns names
    private static final String KEY_ID = "id";
    private static final String KEY_NAME = "name";
    private static final String KEY_PH_NO = "phone_number";

    public DatabaseHandler(Context context) {
        super(context, DATABASE_NAME, null, DATABASE_VERSION);
    }

    // Creating Tables
    @Override
    public void onCreate(SQLiteDatabase db) {
        String CREATE_CONTACTS_TABLE = "CREATE TABLE " + TABLE_CONTACTS + "("
                + KEY_ID + " INTEGER PRIMARY KEY," + KEY_NAME + " TEXT,"
                + KEY_PH_NO + " TEXT" + ")";
        db.execSQL(CREATE_CONTACTS_TABLE);
    }

    // Upgrading database
    @Override
    public void onUpgrade(SQLiteDatabase db, int oldVersion, int newVersion) {
        // Drop older table if existed
        db.execSQL("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS " + TABLE_CONTACTS);

        // Create tables again
        onCreate(db);
    }

I Simply need to open the DB I have in the memory, execute an sql query agianst my DB and get the result.

Answer 1

You must copy the db from assets to your apps storage area (or another accessible location) on the device before you can use it. You cannot use it directly out of the .apk file.

An example of how to go about it:

public class DBAdapter { 

// DB info 
public static final String MAIN_DATABASE_NAME = "yourDB"; 
public static String MAIN_DB_PATH = "/data/data/your.package.name/databases/"; 
public static final int MAIN_DATABASE_VERSION = 1; 

// database control 
private DatabaseHelper mDbHelper; 
private static SQLiteDatabase mDb; 
private static Context mCtx; 

private static class DatabaseHelper extends SQLiteOpenHelper { 
    DatabaseHelper(Context context, String dbname, int dbversion) { 
        super(context, dbname, null, dbversion); 
        if (checkDataBase(dbname)) { 
            openDataBase(dbname); 
        } else { 
            try { 
                this.getReadableDatabase(); 
                copyDataBase(dbname); 
                this.close(); 
                openDataBase(dbname); 
            } catch (IOException e) { 
                throw new Error("Error copying database"); 
            } 
            Toast.makeText(context, 
                    "Initial " + dbname + " database has been created", 
                    Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show(); 
        } 
    } 

    @Override 
    public void onCreate(SQLiteDatabase db) { 
    } 

    @Override 
    public void onUpgrade(SQLiteDatabase db, int oldVersion, int newVersion) { 
    } 
} 

public DBAdapter(Context ctx) { 
    DBAdapter.mCtx = ctx; 
} 

public DBAdapter open(String dbname, int dbversion) throws SQLException { 
    mDbHelper = new DatabaseHelper(mCtx, dbname, dbversion); 
    mDb = mDbHelper.getWritableDatabase(); 
    return this; 
} 

public void close() { 
    mDbHelper.close(); 
} 

private static void copyDataBase(String dbname) throws IOException { 
    InputStream myInput = mCtx.getAssets().open(dbname); 
    String outFileName = MAIN_DB_PATH + dbname; 
    OutputStream myOutput = new FileOutputStream(outFileName); 
    byte[] buffer = new byte[1024]; 
    int length; 
    while ((length = myInput.read(buffer)) > 0) { 
        myOutput.write(buffer, 0, length); 
    } 
    myOutput.flush(); 
    myOutput.close(); 
    myInput.close(); 
} 

private static boolean checkDataBase(String dbname) { 
    SQLiteDatabase checkDB = null; 
    boolean exist = false; 
    try { 
        String db = MAIN_DB_PATH + dbname; 
        checkDB = SQLiteDatabase.openDatabase(db, null, 
                SQLiteDatabase.OPEN_READONLY); 
    } catch (SQLiteException e) { 
        Log.v("db log", "database does't exist"); 
    } 
    if (checkDB != null) { 
        exist = true; 
        checkDB.close(); 
    } 
    return exist; 
} 

private static void openDataBase(String dbname) throws SQLException { 
    String dbPath = MAIN_DB_PATH + dbname; 
    mDb = SQLiteDatabase.openDatabase(dbPath, null, 
            SQLiteDatabase.OPEN_READWRITE); 
} 
}