Import Existing SQLite Database into Android Application

Question

So I know similar questions have been asked but I cannot find something that is for my exact case.

I have an application that creates a database and populates it etc but I have no root access on my device, so here is my problem. I need to populate this database with some values and then import this into my application/device.

If I had root access I could simply go and replace the database in the /data/data/com.my.application/databases folder, but since I do not have root access I need to be able to import this database that I changed into this location and replace the standard one.

Can anyone help me along with some code or an example of how to import a database into this folder? I just need to be able to import and replace the existing one.

Thanks, Wihan

Answer 1

You can use this library to use an imported database on your device:

https://github.com/jgilfelt/android-sqlite-asset-helper

As stated on the documentation you just need to put your database file on the assets folder under a directory called databases /assets/databases/database.db

Then make a DBHelper class that extends from SQLiteAssetHelper like this:

public class DBHelper extends SQLiteAssetHelper {

    private static final String DATABASE_NAME = "example.db";
    private static final int DATABASE_VERSION = 1;

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

}

And you can access now to your data with content providers and all the stuff.

Also you can use http://sqlitebrowser.org/ for creating your pre loaded database on your computer.

Hope it helps.

Answer 2

public String loadJSONFromAsset(Context context) {
    String json = null;
    try {
        InputStream is = context.getAssets().open("Hospital.db");
        int size = is.available();
        OutputStream myoutput = new FileOutputStream("/data/data/-----PACKAGE NAME------/databases/Hospital.db");

        byte[] buffer = new byte[size];
        int length;
        while ((length = is.read(buffer)) > 0) {
            myoutput.write(buffer, 0, length);
        }

        // Close the streams
        myoutput.flush();
        myoutput.close();
        is.close();
        // byte[] buffer = new byte[size];
        // is.read(buffer);
        // is.close();
        // json = new String(buffer, "UTF-8");
    } catch (IOException ex) {
        ex.printStackTrace();
        return null;
    }
    return json;
}