Database.sqlite3 ??? refuses to delete

Question

Level 1

27 points

Database.sqlite3 ??? refuses to delete

I have a file in the trash I can't get rid of called:

Database.sqlite3

I think its something to do with Safari, I occasionally seem to be able to delete it, but most if the time the mac says its being used and can't be deleted - even when nothing but the finder is running.

Even if it has been deleted, it seems to come back again!

Do I need this file? where should it go?

If I don't need it, how can I stop it regenerating?

Thanks!

MacPro, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Mar 11, 2008 5:47 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 11, 2008 7:02 AM in response to Colin Walton

I suppose you're talking about ~/Library/PubSub/Database/Database.sqlite3. This file will be generated when you enable bookmark syncing with .MAC. May I ask why you want to delete it?

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Answer 2

Colin Walton Author

Level 1

27 points

Mar 11, 2008 8:16 AM in response to Martin Maciaszek

I think it appeared on the desktop so I have no idea where it is meant to go, so I deleted it, and hence the deleting problems.

Where should it go ?

C

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Answer 3

Mar 11, 2008 10:59 AM in response to Colin Walton

The desktop ist a strange place for this kind of file to appear. This database file could have been created by any program (the name doesn't give any hints to the application that might have created it).

Close all your programs (as far as you can) and then try to delete this file. If you get an error message about the file still being used you'll have to dig deeper from inside the terminal. (I'll explain below) If the system lets you delete this file then you can launch your apps again one after the other and look when this file gets recreated. That way you can try to figure out which application keeps recreating that file on your desktop.

Ok, this is going to be a bit harder. If you closed all your applications and you still can't delete the Database.sqlite3 file then there is one way to find out, which application is keeping this file open.

Open the terminal and enter the following line:
lsof | grep Database.sqlite3

You should (ideally) see just one line that will look similar to this one:
Safari 1006 fastjack 9u REG 14,2 207872 938604 /Users/fastjack/Library/PubSub/Database/Database.sqlite3

This line tells me that on my computer the Database.sqlite3 file (which is located in ~/Library/PubSub/Database) is opened by Safari. The number right after the application name is the so-called process id. If you open the activity monitor you'll find those process ids at the leftmost column. Find the process the activity monitor and them quit the application. Then try deleting that pesky Database.sqlite3 again.

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Answer 4

Colin Walton Author

Level 1

27 points

Mar 11, 2008 11:37 PM in response to Martin Maciaszek

Ok thanks - it seems to be from Mail. So I don't really want to delete the file, just need to know where to put it!

I have moved the file and the folder it is contained in called 'Database' to:
home folder> Library> Mail>Database>Database.sqlite3

Having opened and quit Mail a few times seems to have at least found it a home!

Ideally if anyone knows where this file is officially meant to go I would be grateful then things are all sorted!

Thanks

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Answer 5

Mar 12, 2008 8:02 AM in response to Colin Walton

I'm a bit stumped how that file got on your desktop in the first place. Usually when an application creates a file on your desktop it also expects to find it on the desktop. Moving it somewhere else won't help you much. The application will usually just recreate that file where it expects it to be. (Which seems to be the desktop in your case)

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Answer 6

Colin Walton Author

Level 1

27 points

Mar 13, 2008 1:17 AM in response to Martin Maciaszek

I think the file must have been put in the trash along with other files at some point. If I move it from the trash something creates another file of the same name in the trash again.

The file is in a folder - the title of which changes, but the latest one is called:

Database 08-00-33-231

Having followed advice from an earlier respondent I think the file is something to do with Mail.

I have two other macs and a search on both of them doesn't seem to find a file of the same name so I can't replicate where it appears on another computer - any idea where its meant to go?

C

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Answer 7

Colin Walton Author

Level 1

27 points

Mar 13, 2008 1:30 AM in response to Martin Maciaszek

PS - its not to do with Mail -

I happen to have the force quit dialog box open and the .mac syc appeared on the list - at the same time the trash got filled up...

So the problem is to do with .mac synching....

Any ideas where it should go or how i can stop it generating in the first place?

C

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Answer 8

Mar 13, 2008 12:40 PM in response to Colin Walton

Disable .MAC syncing. Delete the file, then re-enable syncing again. If the file gets regenerated on the desktop again then something is horribly wrong with your .MAC settings.

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Answer 9

Colin Walton Author

Level 1

27 points

Mar 14, 2008 2:18 AM in response to Martin Maciaszek

I have tried turning off the synching and de-authorising the mac...

The file can then successfully be deleted.

But it gets generated again in the trash!

I think I must have moved it from wherever it should be and somehow .Mac is thinking the trash is where the file is meant to be, so keeps automatically recreating it there.

Where should the file be? maybe its meant to be invisible?

What do i need to do to reset it all?

c

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Answer 10

Mar 18, 2008 1:19 PM in response to Colin Walton

Knock on wood, but it appears that the latest Safari update (3.1) addresses this issue. Ever since installing this, I'm not getting Database.sqlite3 constantly populating my trash. I even have Bookmark sync turned ON!

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Answer 11

Colin Walton Author

Level 1

27 points

Mar 19, 2008 1:33 AM in response to William Cody

yes! you are right, the update does appear to have fixed things.

Thank the Lord!

c

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