Add an SQLite database to an iPhone app

Question

I am trying to learn SQLite, and I am building an iPhone app. But I would like to add an SQLite database to my building app. I have got three tutorials, but I am not clear on that code.

How can I add an SQLite database to my building app? What would sample code look like?

Answer 1

First of all you need to create your database.
From the command line create your db file.

sqlite3 mydb.db

Then create the tables within your database

CREATE TABLE tags (id int(5), name varchar(255), created_at datetime, updated_at datetime);

Repeat that for any tables that you want in your database.

Then you need to include the database file in your project. Add the existing database file to your project as you would any other existing file.

Next you will have to link in the framework to interact with the database. This can be found under you current iPhone SDK folder.

/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Developer/SDKs/iPhoneOS2.2.sdk/usr/lib/libsqlite3.0.dylib

Finally you have to include the header file sqlite3.h from

/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Developer/SDKs/iPhoneOS2.2.sdk/usr/include/sqlite3.h

It should now be possible to write code to access your sqlite database from within your iPhone application.

Answer 2

There is lots of information on the web.

Have you looked at the demo application? SQLite Book List This shows examples of common database functions under SQLite. This is effectively using the standard SQLite C APIs.

There are Objective C wrappers which may suite you more. EntropyDB, SQLitePersistenceObjects and FMDB.

I found this Tutorial and this list of resources which may help.

Recently I've been using an ORM SQLite.net It is the way to go for me but then I'm developing in MonoTouch C#.

Tony

Answer 3

I'd also recommend looking at FMDB. It makes using SQLite slightly more Objective-C/Cocoa-like. It's not a full ORM wrapper or anything though; it just wraps the C API into something a bit more flavoursome.