Using SQLite in a Python program

Question

I have created a Python module that creates and populates several SQLite tables. Now, I want to use it in a program but I don\'t really know how to call it properly. All the

Answer 1

Don't make this more complex than it needs to be. The big, independent databases have complex setup and configuration requirements. SQLite is just a file you access with SQL, it's much simpler.

Do the following.

1. Add a table to your database for "Components" or "Versions" or "Configuration" or "Release" or something administrative like that.

   CREATE TABLE REVISION( RELEASE_NUMBER CHAR(20) );

2. In your application, connect to your database normally.

3. Execute a simple query against the revision table. Here's what can happen.
   • The query fails to execute: your database doesn't exist, so execute a series of CREATE statements to build it.
   • The query succeeds but returns no rows or the release number is lower than expected: your database exists, but is out of date. You need to migrate from that release to the current release. Hopefully, you have a sequence of DROP, CREATE and ALTER statements to do this.
   • The query succeeds, and the release number is the expected value. Do nothing more, your database is configured correctly.