How can I diff 2 SQLite files?

Question

Using SQLite-manager (in its XUL form) on a Mac.

How can I diff a SQLite file from one submitted by someone else on the team, and incorporate his changes?

Thanks.

Answer 1

I believe you could use the following, in combination:

$ diff sqlite-file-1.sql sqlite-file-2.sql > sqlite-patch.diff
$ patch -p0 sqlite-file-1.sql sqlite-patch.diff

I hope that works for you. Otherwise, I highly suggest consulting the man-pages:

$ man diff
$ man patch

EDIT: Alright, here's the whole walk-through.

First, dump the databases:

$ sqlite test1.sql .dump > test1.sql.txt
$ sqlite test2.sql .dump > test2.sql.txt

Next, generate a diff file:

$ diff -u test1.sql.txt test2.sql.txt > patch-0.1.diff

And, finally, to apply the patch:

$ patch -p0 test1.sql.txt patch-0.1.diff

Answer 2

We can use the sqldiff Utility Program:

https://www.sqlite.org/sqldiff.html

It will compare the source to the destination databases and generate SQL commands to make source equivalent to destination.

• Any differences in the content of paired rows are output as UPDATEs.
• Rows in the source database that could not be paired are output as DELETEs.
• Rows in the destination database that could not be paired are output as INSERTs.

We have to download the sources and compile it, from the tool folder.

Answer 3

Maybe using this tool: http://download.cnet.com/SQLite-Diff/3000-10254_4-10894771.html ? But you can use the solution provided by @indienick provided you first dump the binary sqlite database with something like: sqlite x.db .dump > output.sql

Hope this helps, Moszi