I wondered If it is possible to push db files into databases folder of an Android application either programatically or using any tool.
Thanks in advance!
Yes you can but not directly.
Typically a pre-built database would be included as an asset and copied to the databases folder for the package when the App is first run after installation.
If using this method then you should consider using SQLiteAssethelper, as using this simplifies the process.
In one of my App's I introduced a back-restore that backed-up the database and could restore from the downloads folder. If need be I can copy a database from elsewhere into the downloads folder and restore from that within the App. However obviously such a database has to have the correct structure/schema to not result in errors. So that is another way but would be at the user's discretion to do.
Obviously data/data//databases is protected so that imposes restrictions on "Pushing" data directly into the folder.
Related
I am building an Android application that fetches data from a cloud database and stores it in SQLite locally so that user does not need to fetch it again and again.
Now I need to find an efficient way to predefine a few rows in the SQLite database and provide it along with the APK. Is this possible? if so, how do I achieve it?
Yes it is possible.
You follow these steps :-
You create the database externally, populating it, and copy the file to your App's assets folder.
You may have to create the folder.
If using Android SQLiteAssetHelper then you will need to create a databases folder in the assets folder.
There are various tools for Creating and Managing SQLite Databases. e.g. Db Browser for SQLite.
You then need to modify your App to copy the file from the assets folder (or assets/databases folder) and then open the database. Noting that you only do the copy if the database doesn't already exist.
Using the Android SQLiteAssetHelper simplifies this process.
In my iOS app I have a large (270MB), pre-populated, read-only sqlite database. I keep the data in the app bundle and query it with no problems. I do not copy the database to the user's documents folder, because it would be pointless in this situation to take up more space with a duplicate database. I have a separate much smaller database I copy to the user's documents folder to store the user's preferences. The app works just fine.
Now I'm trying to port my app to Android using Android Studio, but it does not seem possible to access the database from the assets folder. I have found plenty of documentation on database helper classes for Android, which I have tried, but the approach always seems to be to copy the database from the assets folder to the user's data folder. This would be a waste of space and also in my experience the app is unable to copy the database without crashing (maybe because of the size? I had no problems copying a smaller test database).
Is there a way to access the database without copying it to the user's data folder? If not can anyone think of another way of approaching this?
No, You can not directly write into the files of ASSETS folder in your application as the resources folders are read-only.
So You have to compulsory copy your database first from your assets folder to your sdcard and then only you will be able to read & write into it.
As GrIsHu said, you can only read database from asset folder. If you need to do more operation like create, update, delete you can do a tricks. Copy the database from assets folder to storage and then you can do anything you want.
Here is a quick example of Working with Android Pre Built Database.
There is a easy to use library too for accessing database from assets folder. You can check [Android SQLiteAssetHelper] here.2 Good luck!
I don't understand why database files are stored in the android emulator or phone in the data folder data/data//databases rather than being stored in the application that uses it.
Logically, the database file must also be stored in the android app, right ?
If yes, where should it be stored in the app directory ?
your database will be saved under data/data/myApp/database and not in any other folder but your application folder, since database consider as a private to your app, android make it hard for people with non-root access to see your database. you still can store it in any place you like just point to it from your app.
Put your database in your assets folder, then its path is given by "/data/data/<your-package-name>/databases/<dbname>"
I am developing an app in android which consists of activities that need to connect to the Database . I added my database file in assets folder which gets copied over to applications database directory on first time the app runs but "assets" directory and "data" directory(on rooted devices) can be accessed by any other application . I'm confusing between using database file or create database in code . If i create database in code it make the database file disappear in the "assets" folder . When users change the file extension from .apk to .zip ,database file will not appear in assest folder . What I should to do ?
Please give me some advice !
Both ways are good and useful it completely depends on your need.
By creating database in code you can secure your data from other applications but it will take so much pain to create it in that way so i suggest you to use a db or sqlite file in assets folder and while copying database on device or data folder use some security parameters to encrypt it or you can hide your app database folder on device so other applications and users will be not able to access it easily.
Well keeping Database in assets folder is not at all a bad practice plus it saves coding of creating a database , as far as you want to make it secure you have to do 2 things
1.keep you database in assests folder , and copy and save it in the internal memory , now its available only to your application and delete it from assests folder .
2.Use Proguard to protect it from somebody decompiling your application and obtaining the assests.
And yea if its a confidential data in the application and your application is worth it then you can also go for "encrypting data" but yea its a TDS task , see for yourself what suits you now.
Honestly, this is the best explained and a very complete tutorial on the subject
SQLite Android Tutorial
Don't get repulsive, because it's a bit longer one. Everything is explained nicely and you don't have to do the thinking about the location of your asset folder on different devices and so on...
Pretty simple question, can I send a already created database (a file, for instance) with my application?
Or do I have to create it inside my application?
Yes you can do both. Either create on 1st launch or copy preconfigured database from assets.
For the latter option (which is basically significantly faster if you need your database to be pre-populated) you can use Android SQLiteAssetHelper to do all the job.
you may put it into the assets/ folder and copy into the SQLite on the first run.
Some apps include an SQLite database in the assets folder, and copy it when the app is launched.