How to import an .sqlite3/.sqlite file to ios application? - iphone

Question

I was having an excel file.
I have converted that file to .csv format and import that file to base and converted it into .sqlite file.
So the question is that:
Is there any way to import it into an ios app and manipulate the data.
Is there any way to use it like core data or import that file into core data.
Kindly refer any good tutorial preferably video tutorial or some other good one.

Answer 1

You can use it directly with FMDB library: https://github.com/ccgus/fmdb
Another option is to import that file into core data, but it is a little tricky. You can do it if you follow these steps:
Create empty SQLite database in your application and run your app in simulator.
Open simulator directory on your computer and locate SQLite database file.
Look inside it with SQLite command line tool or something like "SQLite Data Browser" GUI tool (http://sqlitebrowser.sourceforge.net/).
Import your data to this database file without changing structure and data in core data meta tables.
Finally you have SQLite database file ready to be used with core data. So you put it into your app bundle.
On first application launch you should copy your SQLite database file to appropriate directory (you know where you should put your file - you already found it in simulator app directory) before configuring core data stack.
It sounds a bit complicated but it works ;)
Nice article about shipping pre-populated data for core data: http://www.objc.io/issue-4/importing-large-data-sets-into-core-data.html

Answer 2

Update
Please note the updated response.
Is there any way to import it (SQLite) into an ios app and manipulate the data?
You can import a sqlite file into Xcode, by simply adding it as a resource using Add New File... However you would have limited ability to use it jointly with Core Data (unless it was created with Core Data). One can review the objc.io article referenced earlier that covers how to deal with prepopulated data in an Xcode project. Here is the pertinent section of that article.
NSFileManager* fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
NSError *error;
if([fileManager fileExistsAtPath:self.storeURL.path]) {
NSURL *storeDirectory = [self.storeURL URLByDeletingLastPathComponent];
NSDirectoryEnumerator *enumerator = [fileManager enumeratorAtURL:storeDirectory
includingPropertiesForKeys:nil
options:0
errorHandler:NULL];
NSString *storeName = [self.storeURL.lastPathComponent stringByDeletingPathExtension];
for (NSURL *url in enumerator) {
if (![url.lastPathComponent hasPrefix:storeName]) continue;
[fileManager removeItemAtURL:url error:&error];
}
// handle error
}
NSString* bundleDbPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:#"seed" ofType:#"sqlite"];
[fileManager copyItemAtPath:bundleDbPath toPath:self.storeURL.path error:&error];
NSDictionary *infoDictionary = [NSBundle mainBundle].infoDictionary;
NSString* bundleVersion = [infoDictionary objectForKey:(NSString *)kCFBundleVersionKey];
NSString *seedVersion = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] objectForKey:#"SeedVersion"];
if (![seedVersion isEqualToString:bundleVersion]) {
// Copy the seed database
}
// ... after the import succeeded
[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setObject:bundleVersion forKey:#"SeedVersion"];
Assuming one wanted to import a CSV file rather than an Excel or SQLite... Since this is a common question, here is a simple parser that one can use to incorporate CSV data into an Xcode project.
func parseCSV (contentsOfURL: NSURL, encoding: NSStringEncoding, error: NSErrorPointer) -> [(name:String, detail:String, price: String)]? {
// Load the CSV file and parse it
let delimiter = ","
var items:[(name:String, detail:String, price: String)]?
if let content = String(contentsOfURL: contentsOfURL, encoding: encoding, error: error) {
items = []
let lines:[String] = content.componentsSeparatedByCharactersInSet(NSCharacterSet.newlineCharacterSet()) as [String]
for line in lines {
var values:[String] = []
if line != "" {
// For a line with double quotes
// we use NSScanner to perform the parsing
if line.rangeOfString("\"") != nil {
var textToScan:String = line
var value:NSString?
var textScanner:NSScanner = NSScanner(string: textToScan)
while textScanner.string != "" {
if (textScanner.string as NSString).substringToIndex(1) == "\"" {
textScanner.scanLocation += 1
textScanner.scanUpToString("\"", intoString: &value)
textScanner.scanLocation += 1
} else {
textScanner.scanUpToString(delimiter, intoString: &value)
}
// Store the value into the values array
values.append(value as! String)
// Retrieve the unscanned remainder of the string
if textScanner.scanLocation < count(textScanner.string) {
textToScan = (textScanner.string as NSString).substringFromIndex(textScanner.scanLocation + 1)
} else {
textToScan = ""
}
textScanner = NSScanner(string: textToScan)
}
// For a line without double quotes, we can simply separate the string
// by using the delimiter (e.g. comma)
} else {
values = line.componentsSeparatedByString(delimiter)
}
// Put the values into the tuple and add it to the items array
let item = (name: values[0], detail: values[1], price: values[2])
items?.append(item)
}
}
}
return items
}
(Source article)
Another option is to use the Core Data Editor tool originally mentioned in the Ray W. list of tools. This GUI editor tries to make handling CSV data imports easier.
Is there any way to use it like core data or import that file into core data?
So a SQLite database is not the same as Core Data (which is an object graph persistence...). I was about to go into my diatribe here, but Apple's Core Data FAQ says it better than I could...:
How do I use my existing SQLite database with Core Data?
You don’t. Although Core Data supports SQLite as one of its persistent
store types, the database format is private. You cannot create a
SQLite database using native SQLite API and use it directly with Core
Data (nor should you manipulate an existing Core Data SQLite store
using native SQLite API). If you have an existing SQLite database, you
need to import it into a Core Data store (see Efficiently Importing
Data).
So that's the official answer. Anything else offered is just a way to work around the fact that one is not supposed to do this.
However, given that you also have a CSV file you do have some other options. In the past I've built a file reader to examine the contents of a CSV file using a stream reader. Here is the gist of that, however my file likely had some other formatting so this probably needs tweaking. You can also look at using any object that reads the contents of a file. For example; a much simpler technique comes to mind:
Use the initWithContentsOfFile on the NSString class
Gives you a string with the CSV in memory
Iterate the string for each line
Loop through the line using commas and do something with each piece of data
NSString *fileContents = [NSString stringWithContentsOfFile:#"myfile.txt"];
NSArray *lines = [fileContents componentsSeparatedByString:#"\n"];
//loop and split each line in lines array into useful data
Let's say you really want to use SQLite in iOS, warnings notwithstanding... You can add the sqlite3 library to your project. Full details are available on how to use SQLite instead of Core Data. One of the many online tutorials is at AppCoda
The basics are covered (sample project):
Saving...
- (IBAction)saveInfo:(id)sender {
// Prepare the query string.
NSString *query = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"insert into peopleInfo values(null, '%#', '%#', %d)", self.txtFirstname.text, self.txtLastname.text, [self.txtAge.text intValue]];
// Execute the query.
[self.dbManager executeQuery:query];
// If the query was successfully executed then pop the view controller.
if (self.dbManager.affectedRows != 0) {
NSLog(#"Query was executed successfully. Affected rows = %d", self.dbManager.affectedRows);
// Pop the view controller.
[self.navigationController popViewControllerAnimated:YES];
}
else{
NSLog(#"Could not execute the query.");
}
}
Editing...
-(void)loadInfoToEdit{
// Create the query.
NSString *query = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"select * from peopleInfo where peopleInfoID=%d", self.recordIDToEdit];
// Load the relevant data.
NSArray *results = [[NSArray alloc] initWithArray:[self.dbManager loadDataFromDB:query]];
// Set the loaded data to the textfields.
self.txtFirstname.text = [[results objectAtIndex:0] objectAtIndex:[self.dbManager.arrColumnNames indexOfObject:#"firstname"]];
self.txtLastname.text = [[results objectAtIndex:0] objectAtIndex:[self.dbManager.arrColumnNames indexOfObject:#"lastname"]];
self.txtAge.text = [[results objectAtIndex:0] objectAtIndex:[self.dbManager.arrColumnNames indexOfObject:#"age"]];
}
Deleting...
-(void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView commitEditingStyle:(UITableViewCellEditingStyle)editingStyle forRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath{
if (editingStyle == UITableViewCellEditingStyleDelete) {
// Delete the selected record.
// Find the record ID.
int recordIDToDelete = [[[self.arrPeopleInfo objectAtIndex:indexPath.row] objectAtIndex:0] intValue];
// Prepare the query.
NSString *query = [NSString stringWithFormat:#"delete from peopleInfo where peopleInfoID=%d", recordIDToDelete];
// Execute the query.
[self.dbManager executeQuery:query];
// Reload the table view.
[self loadData];
}
}
Re: Kindly refer any good tutorial preferably video tutorial or some
other good one.
The following tutorial should fill your need. There are quite a few tutorials on this topic you can check out www.lynda.com for a detailed walk through on building an iOS app with SQLite (some cost involved for full access however search Youtube as they post sample movies covering these topics all the time).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC3F8a4F_KE (see 1:17 in video)

Answer 3

If you have an .sql file, you just import it to your project by going to File - Add Files.
Also, keep in mind that if you leave your .sql file in your bundle, it will be read only.
So, unless you want it to be read only, you should make new group and put your .sql there.