How to Solve Error Message Error: unable to open database “pathdb.sqlite3”: unable to open database file when opening or selecting SQLite3 Database

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Introduction

The following article will explain about how to solve an error message appear why opening or selecting database. Moreover, it is opening or selecting an SQLite3 database exist in Microsoft Windows 10. But basically, the environment is not affecting the error message. It is just it cannot find the SQLite3 database file. The following is the sequence of the execution for opening or selecting database :

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.18363.628]
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C:\Users\Personal>sqlite3
SQLite version 3.37.0 2021-11-27 14:13:22
Enter ".help" for usage hints.
Connected to a transient in-memory database.
Use ".open FILENAME" to reopen on a persistent database.
sqlite> .open c:\django\project\apps\db.sqlite3
Error: unable to open database "c:djangoprojectappsdb.sqlite3": unable to open database file
sqlite>

Solution

In order to solve the error message. Actually, the solution is very simple. Just revise the command for opening the database. It is because the execution is in Microsoft Windows 10. The Microsoft Windows 10 cannot decide or cannot accept the backslash character for path of the path. But the Microsoft Windows 10 read it as an escape character. So, the solution is just to revise and edit the command parameter which is describing the path. More important, the Microsoft Windows 10 will have to read and accept the command parameter which containing the backslash character as part of the path not as an escape character. It is actually easy to do that. Just enclose the path with a single quote as the following pattern :

sqlite> .open 'c:\path\path\db.sqlite3'

The execution of the above pattern as in the following command execution :

sqlite> .open 'c:\django\project\apps\db.sqlite3'
sqlite>

Moreover, in order to prove the process for opening or selecting the database, just type ‘.tables’ to list all available tables in the database. In this case, the database turns out to be a default Django database file for example :

sqlite> .tables
auth_group base_room
auth_group_permissions base_topic
auth_permission django_admin_log
auth_user django_content_type
auth_user_groups django_migrations
auth_user_user_permissions django_session
base_message
sqlite>

In conclusion, enclosing a path with a single quote will make Microsoft Windows 10 read an backslash as part of the path not as an escape character.

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