Random exception android.database.sqlite.SQLiteException: unable to open database file

Question

My app uses a uncaught exception handler that sends the stack trace to me when the app crashes. Often I get this report from random users.

I cannot replicate it, the opening of the database always succeeds in my case. This is not a database stored on external SD card, only a database opened with SQLiteOpenHelper(context, "SomeName", null, someVersionCode).

Do you have any experience with this? What are the possibilities that I can check before opening the database?

Thank you!

android.database.sqlite.SQLiteException: unable to open database file
    at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2496)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2512)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.access$2200(ActivityThread.java:119)
    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1863)
    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:123)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:4363)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:521)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:860)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:618)
    at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
Caused by: android.database.sqlite.SQLiteException: unable to open database file
    at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.dbopen(Native Method)
    at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.<init>(SQLiteDatabase.java:1698)
    at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.openDatabase(SQLiteDatabase.java:739)
    at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.openOrCreateDatabase(SQLiteDatabase.java:761)
    at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase.openOrCreateDatabase(SQLiteDatabase.java:754)
    at android.app.ApplicationContext.openOrCreateDatabase(ApplicationContext.java:476)
    at android.content.ContextWrapper.openOrCreateDatabase(ContextWrapper.java:193)
    at android.database.sqlite.SQLiteOpenHelper.getWritableDatabase(SQLiteOpenHelper.java:98)

Answer 1

One of the possible scenarios when this could happen -- is when you access your database file from several threads and when the file is locked by one of the threads while you're trying to open it for modifications from another thread.