Error trying to copy from bundle to documents directory

Question

I have added an sqlite file into my application and is trying to copy it from the bundle to the documents directory. I have added the sqlite to target app as well. Following is the code I use to copy the file:

NSString *destination = [[[Utils applicationDocumentsDirectory] absoluteString] stringByAppendingString:@"myapp.sqlite"];
    NSFileManager *fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
    if (![fileManager fileExistsAtPath:destination]) {
        NSString *source = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"myapp" ofType:@"sqlite"];
        NSError *error = nil;
        [fileManager copyItemAtPath:source toPath:destination error:&error];
        if (error) {
            //
        }
    }

Code for [Utils applicationDocumentsDirectory]:

+ (NSURL *)applicationDocumentsDirectory
{
    return [[[NSFileManager defaultManager] URLsForDirectory:NSDocumentDirectory inDomains:NSUserDomainMask] lastObject];
}

But when this code is executed, I get the following error:

Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4 "The file “myapp.sqlite” doesn’t exist." UserInfo={NSSourceFilePathErrorKey=/Users/harikrishnant/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/8E531314-F1AE-417F-8E99-7AA92967CDC9/data/Containers/Bundle/Application/0A710929-475D-457C-8D2D-C2F2BBEB6B92/myapp.app/myapp.sqlite, NSUserStringVariant=( Copy ), NSDestinationFilePath=file:///Users/harikrishnant/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/8E531314-F1AE-417F-8E99-7AA92967CDC9/data/Containers/Data/Application/13B22E15-D00C-433C-9F02-014B1F73D183/Documents/myapp.sqlite, NSFilePath=/Users/harikrishnant/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/8E531314-F1AE-417F-8E99-7AA92967CDC9/data/Containers/Bundle/Application/0A710929-475D-457C-8D2D-C2F2BBEB6B92/myapp.app/myapp.sqlite, NSUnderlyingError=0x7faffe1b5cf0 {Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=2 "No such file or directory"}}

I checked the following path using terminal and figured out that the sqlite file actually exists in the app bundle:

/Users/harikrishnant/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/8E531314-F1AE-417F-8E99-7AA92967CDC9/data/Containers/Bundle/Application/0A710929-475D-457C-8D2D-C2F2BBEB6B92/myapp.app/myapp.sqlite

But still I am getting this error. I tried everything. I even cleaned the build folder and reinstalled the application, it still didn't work. What can be the problem here? How to solve it?

Answer 1

Your code is almost correct. It has two flaws with this line:

NSString *destination = [[[Utils applicationDocumentsDirectory] absoluteString] stringByAppendingString:@"myapp.sqlite"];

The use of absoluteString is incorrect. This gives a file URL in the form file://path/to/Documents/. You need to use the path method to get a file path (not file URL) form the NSURL.

Then you need to properly append the filename to the path. You need to use stringByAppendingPathComponent: instead of stringByAppendingString:.

That line should be:

NSString *destination = [[[Utils applicationDocumentsDirectory] path] stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"myapp.sqlite"];

Answer 2

I use bellow code to copy my SQLite DB from Application Bundle to Document Directory.
NOTE 'Database' is Folder name. 'datasource' is my database name and it's extension is 'db'

-(void)saveDatabase{
        //put bundle database to DocumentDirectory
        NSLog(@"%@",[self databasePath]);
        //Create Path For Destination
        NSString* path = [NSHomeDirectory() stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Documents"];
        path = [path stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Database"];
        BOOL isExists=[[NSFileManager defaultManager]fileExistsAtPath:path];
        if(!isExists){
            NSError* error;
            BOOL isCreated = [[NSFileManager defaultManager]createDirectoryAtPath:path withIntermediateDirectories:NO attributes:nil error:&error];
            if(isCreated){
                path = [path stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Datasource"];
                path = [path stringByAppendingPathExtension:@"db"];
                isExists = [[NSFileManager defaultManager]fileExistsAtPath:path];
                if(!isExists){
                    NSError* dbError;
                    NSString* bundle = [[NSBundle mainBundle]pathForResource:@"Datasource" ofType:@"db"];
                    isCreated = [[NSFileManager defaultManager]copyItemAtPath:bundle toPath:path error:&dbError];
                    if(isCreated){
                        NSLog(@"DatabasePath %@",path);
                    }else{
                        NSLog(@"ErrorCopying DB file %@",dbError.localizedDescription);
                    }
                }else{

                }

            }else{
                NSLog(@"Error While Creating Database Directory:->%@",error.localizedDescription);
            }
        }
    }
    - (NSString*)databasePath{
        NSString* path = [self documentDirectory];
        path = [path stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Database"];
        path = [path stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Datasource"];
        path = [path stringByAppendingPathExtension:@"db"];
        return path;
    }
    - (NSString*)documentDirectory{
        return [NSHomeDirectory() stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Documents"];
    }

Answer 3

Make sure your file is listed in Build Phases -> Copy Bundle Resources in the target you use. Try deleting Derived data. If still does not work go to Derived data and check the file using Finder.