# Newbie - how to use SQLite3?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-how-to-use-sqlite3/190677>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [June 24, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-how-to-use-sqlite3/190677 "2010-06-24T23:35:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-how-to-use-sqlite3/190677/1 "2010-06-24T23:35:37Z")

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I am just learning Ruby language. I downloaded SQLite3 database using  
gem - “gem list” shows that SQLite3 is installed.  
My question - how to create a database? I tried to do it from a DOS  
prompt - it didn’t work.

Thanks,

Zalek

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-how-to-use-sqlite3/190677/2 "2010-06-25T00:52:19Z")

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On Thu, Jun 24, 2010 at 2:35 PM, [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> I am just learning Ruby language. I downloaded SQLite3 database using  
> gem - “gem list” shows that SQLite3 is installed.

No, that shows that the SQLite3 _gem_ is installed. Which doesn’t  
mean you have SQLite3 itself on your system. Figuring that out is  
a good first step 🙂

> My question - how to create a database? I tried to do it from a DOS  
> prompt - it didn’t work.

Urk, “DOS prompt”? So, Windows? Best of luck!

(And for the next question, “it didn’t work” is not terribly useful in  
terms  
of helping someone troubleshoot a problem…)

HTH,

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-how-to-use-sqlite3/190677/3 "2010-06-25T01:15:46Z")

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On Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:51:55 -0500, Hassan S.  
[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> Urk, “DOS prompt”? So, Windows? Best of luck!
> 
> (And for the next question, “it didn’t work” is not terribly useful in terms  
> of helping someone troubleshoot a problem…)
> 
> HTH,

Well, I tried from DOS:  
create database  
gem create database

and other combinations.

Anyway - I understand I need to install SQLite3 first.

Thanks,

Zalek

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-how-to-use-sqlite3/190677/4 "2010-06-25T02:50:35Z")

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On Jun 24, 11:14 pm, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid wrote:

> > of helping someone troubleshoot a problem…)

1. gem install sqlite3-ruby

Download and copy latest sqlite3.dll from [sqlite3.org](http://sqlite3.org) into a directory  
in the PATH. If you’re not familiar with DOS command prompts, search  
for tutorials on internet.

You have sqlite3-ruby documentation here:

[http://rdoc.info/projects/luislavena/sqlite3-ruby](http://rdoc.info/projects/luislavena/sqlite3-ruby)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/newbie-how-to-use-sqlite3/190677/5 "2010-06-25T12:58:25Z")

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unknown wrote:

> I am just learning Ruby language. I downloaded SQLite3 database using  
> gem - “gem list” shows that SQLite3 is installed.  
> My question - how to create a database? I tried to do it from a DOS  
> prompt - it didn’t work.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Zalek

require ‘sqlite3’  
db = SQLite3::Database.new( “test.db” )  
sql = \<\<SQL  
create table the\_table (  
a varchar2(30),  
b varchar2(30)  
);

SQL

db.execute\_batch( sql )

* * *

Of course, you should have sqlite3 installed. there should be some  
command called “sqlite3” in your path, if it is.

to open a db, do:

sqlite3 new.db

You should get a prompt. Type “help”.

See: [http://sqlite-ruby.rubyforge.org/sqlite3/faq.html](http://sqlite-ruby.rubyforge.org/sqlite3/faq.html)