Question

I have one sqlite database in which I store both user-defined information and information which is read-only to the user. I feel like I may need to modify the read-only information in the future, and I don’t want to have to do a whole data migration. Is there a way that I can use a separate sqlite database, which can easily be replaced, for the read-only information? If so, can you give a little direction as to how this can be done? I am confused since I currently have all entities on the xcdatamodel – would I create two data models? Not sure how that would work. Thanks in advance.

---

This doesn’t work but please feel free to give feedback.

- (NSManagedObjectModel *)managedObjectModel {

    NSLog(@"%s", __FUNCTION__);
    if (managedObjectModel != nil) {
        return managedObjectModel;
    }
    //managedObjectModel = [[NSManagedObjectModel mergedModelFromBundles:nil] retain];

    NSString *mainPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"MyApp" ofType:@"mom"];
    NSURL *mainMomURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:mainPath];
    managedObjectModel = [[NSManagedObjectModel alloc] initWithContentsOfURL:mainMomURL];

    [managedObjectModel setEntities:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:
                                          [[managedObjectModel entitiesByName] objectForKey:@"Version"],
                                          [[managedObjectModel entitiesByName] objectForKey:@"Book"],
                                          nil] forConfiguration:@"info"];

    [managedObjectModel setEntities:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:
                                          [[managedObjectModel entitiesByName] objectForKey:@"Settings"],
                                          [[managedObjectModel entitiesByName] objectForKey:@"Persons"],
                                          nil] forConfiguration:@"main"];

    return managedObjectModel;
}

and

- (NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *)persistentStoreCoordinator {

    NSLog(@"%s", __FUNCTION__);
    if (persistentStoreCoordinator != nil) {
        return persistentStoreCoordinator;
    }

    NSString *storePath = [[self applicationDocumentsDirectory] stringByAppendingPathComponent: @"Main.sqlite"];

    NSFileManager *fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
    if (![fileManager fileExistsAtPath:storePath]) {
        NSString *defaultStorePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"Default" ofType:@"sqlite"];
        if (defaultStorePath) {
            [fileManager copyItemAtPath:defaultStorePath toPath:storePath error:NULL];
        }
    }

    NSURL *storeUrl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:storePath];
    NSDictionary *options = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:[NSNumber numberWithBool:YES], NSMigratePersistentStoresAutomaticallyOption, [NSNumber numberWithBool:YES], NSInferMappingModelAutomaticallyOption, nil];    


    NSString *infoStorePath = [[self applicationDocumentsDirectory] stringByAppendingPathComponent: @"Info.sqlite"];
    if (![fileManager fileExistsAtPath:infoStorePath]) {
        NSString *defaultInfoStorePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"DefaultInfo" ofType:@"sqlite"];
        if (defaultInfoStorePath) {
            [fileManager copyItemAtPath:defaultInfoStorePath toPath:infoStorePath error:NULL];
        }
    }

    NSURL *infoStoreUrl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:infoStorePath];

    persistentStoreCoordinator = [[NSPersistentStoreCoordinator alloc] initWithManagedObjectModel: [self managedObjectModel]];
    //persistentStoreCoordinator = [[NSPersistentStoreCoordinator alloc] init]; 

    NSPersistentStore *mainStore = [persistentStoreCoordinator addPersistentStoreWithType:NSSQLiteStoreType configuration:@"main" URL:storeUrl options:options error:&error];
    NSPersistentStore *infoStore = [persistentStoreCoordinator addPersistentStoreWithType:NSSQLiteStoreType configuration:@"verses" URL:infoStoreUrl options:options error:&error];

    NSManagedObject *settingsEntity = [[NSManagedObject alloc] initWithEntity:[[managedObjectModel entitiesByName] objectForKey:@"Settings"] insertIntoManagedObjectContext:self.managedObjectContext];
    [self.managedObjectContext assignObject:settingsEntity toPersistentStore:mainStore];

    NSManagedObject *persons = [[NSManagedObject alloc] initWithEntity:[[managedObjectModel entitiesByName] objectForKey:@"Persons"] insertIntoManagedObjectContext:self.managedObjectContext];
    [self.managedObjectContext persons toPersistentStore:mainStore];

NSManagedObject *version = [[NSManagedObject alloc] initWithEntity:[[managedObjectModel entitiesByName] objectForKey:@"Version"] insertIntoManagedObjectContext:self.managedObjectContext];
[self.managedObjectContext assignObject:version toPersistentStore:infoStore];

NSManagedObject *book = [[NSManagedObject alloc] initWithEntity:[[managedObjectModel entitiesByName] objectForKey:@"Book"] insertIntoManagedObjectContext:self.managedObjectContext];
[self.managedObjectContext assignObject:book toPersistentStore:infoStore];

and

- (NSManagedObjectContext *)managedObjectContext {

    NSLog(@"%s", __FUNCTION__);
    if (managedObjectContext != nil) {
        return managedObjectContext;
    }

    NSPersistentStoreCoordinator *coordinator = [self persistentStoreCoordinator];
    if (coordinator != nil) {
        managedObjectContext = [NSManagedObjectContext new];
        [managedObjectContext setPersistentStoreCoordinator: coordinator];
    }
    return managedObjectContext;
}

Answer 1

Well, here’s what I ended up doing. Two managedObjectModels, two managedObjectContexts, two persistentStoreCoordinators, and hence, two persistent stores. All totally separate, which is fine, since there is no relationship between the data in the two stores at all. And here is the kicker as to why sqlite files get created with no entities and no data at all: before the entities even get created you need to execute at least one fetch request in the db. Who knew? Well, obviously, not me. Anyway, this works well for me, as I won’t even have the second store ready until after the app is launched (it is for an additional feature). Now, when my data file is finally ready, I can just add the sqlite file, uncomment the code pertaining to it, and send the app to the app store. It won’t touch the store with the user data in it. And, I am going to keep my read-only store in my bundle so no migration. How’s that sound?