Sqlite Error: file is not a database

Question

I have created a database named database.db

When I create a table in the database I get the error:Error: file is not a database

nehal@nehal-Inspiron-5559:~/Desktop/UAV$ sqlite3 database.db 
SQLite version 3.20.1 2017-08-24 16:21:36
Enter ".help" for usage hints.
sqlite> CREATE TABLE users(
   ...> password varchar(10),
   ...> email text,
   ...> name text
   ...> );
Error: file is not a database

How do I resolve the error?

I ran into this when I created the db with `sqlite` but then used `sqlite3` on another system. i.e. perhaps you are mixing versions — EkriirkE, Sep 27 '19 at 00:16

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 25 '18 at 16:58

8

Create database without the .db extension.
for e.g. sqlite3 users //this creates a database names users

answered Feb 25 '18 at 16:58

user7441

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can you provide the reference how you came to this solution? Thanks – Pratik Mistry Feb 03 '19 at 23:54
1

@PratikMistry I guess this answer is wrong. I observe the "file is not a database" error occurs when you `sqltile3` with an old `sqlite` file ... – Grijesh Chauhan Mar 15 '20 at 11:24
@GrijeshChauhan ok, will try to see if that's the case in my case as well. – Pratik Mistry Mar 15 '20 at 22:55
Is there a way to convert the db to sqlite3? – chovy Sep 08 '22 at 11:30
I believe this answer is creating a new database file `users` instead of opening `users.db` or `database.db`, which makes no sense. – umitu Jan 21 '23 at 01:03

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 02 '21 at 00:00

4

The error can occur when a database was created with cipher.
So sqlite3_open succeded but any sqlite3_exec or sqlite3_prepare will be failed with this error.

answered Feb 02 '21 at 00:00

Aikon Mogwai

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can you elaborate on this a bit more? I am working with cipher and get I this. – Async- Dec 08 '21 at 08:31
1

After `sqlite_open` you should provide cipher params. How to do it is depended on your cipher library. I use [SQLite3 Multiple Ciphers](https://utelle.github.io/SQLite3MultipleCiphers/) and this library has both `C` and `SQL-pragma` APIs. So I run several sql statement via `sqlie3_exec` like `pragma =` and then work with database as usual. – Aikon Mogwai Dec 08 '21 at 10:33

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 10 '19 at 05:45

0

You can also use

.open users

it will also create the database

and to open an existing database users.db use

.open users.db

if .db is not used new database of same name will be created

answered Nov 10 '19 at 05:45

Devanshu

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 29 '22 at 15:10

Same problem with WPF and SQLiteAdministrator creating a SQLite v3 DB with Database->New->SQLite 3 DB option and "Data Source=whatever.s3db; Version=3" in the WPF code using System.Data.SQLite library.

Select Database->Migrate to SQLite3 option in SQLiteAdministrator solves the problem. Its works for me. I hope this helps someone.

Sqlite Error: file is not a database

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