sms.db Extracting the messages (sorry for another lame question on this)

[event2020]

Hi all

I know you guys are sick of this kind of question but I am having real problems and i need to extract the conversations from iMessenger on Ipad, its actually extremely important and i deleted the conversation by mistake.


Nearly all of the post I have found relate to the iPhone but I need the iMessages from my iPad2.


I do not have an itunes sync so needed to get the file straight off my iPad.

My iPad is not jailbroken and I opened iExplorier and then files>documents and was able to coopy the sms.db onto my window PC.

If i right click on it and open it as a text file I can see the conversations are there but of course
they are jumbled up with the sql code.

i have tried the SQL extension in Firefox, SQLite Expert, SQLite Browser, RazorSQL and a few different ones but none of them work.

In Firefox and SQLite for example, I can open the sms.db file and see all of the table names but when i try and view the data nothing shows.

This is puzzling because as I said, if i open sms.db as a text file I can see the messages, I just cant find a program that can extract them.

Can anyone kindly suggest what I can do as this is beyond my knowledge.

Thank you in advance

 

[forum user]

Liya from the Mac App store will open the db file correctly. You'll need to rename the sms.db into sms.sqlite3, though.

 

[hunterheath33]

He said he is using a windows pc. How will a Mac App Store help him unless he has a Mac? People seriously need to read the question and actually answer. He didn't say he had a Mac so why are you assuming he has one? Sorry OP I don't know of a program that can accomplish what you need to do on windows.

 

[xArtx]

He said he is using a windows pc. How will a Mac App Store help him unless he has a Mac? People seriously need to read the question and actually answer. He didn't say he had a Mac so why are you assuming he has one? Sorry OP I don't know of a program that can accomplish what you need to do on windows.

It occurs much more like a statement than an assumption to me.
He would only need one time access to a Mac.

 

[event2020]

Liya from the Mac App store will open the db file correctly. You'll need to rename the sms.db into sms.sqlite3, though.

Hi and thanks for the reply and suggestion.

It's true that I do not have access to a mac but I do have my iPad.

I went to the iPad App Store and there is a version of Liya for the iPad.

As I also have iExplorer I can probably place the copy of the SMS.db file I want to open back on the iPad in a location that iExplorer will allow so do you think I can open it that way?

Just trying to think of a way to do his.

Thanks

 

[forum user]

Unfortunately Liya for the iPad will not read a file.

There is another way, for windows this time. (tested with Win7)

• Get SQLiteStudio from here.
• Run the exe file
• To open the sms database file choose "Add a database" from the file menu (under File). Select your sms.sqlite3 file which you have extracted earlier
• open the sql editor with Alt-e
• in the SQL Query window type
  

  select text from message;

• the results window should now show the message text of your SMS's. If you require other columns you will need to adopt the sql command
• You can export (or copy to the clipboard) the results using the fifth button from the left in the editor window.
  

Post back here if you have questions

 

[event2020]

Hi guys

Many thanks for the replys and suggestions.

None of them worked.

In SQLiteStudio when I connect to the SMS.sqlite3 file I get the following error box.

Error while opening C:/SMS.sqlite3 database;
Can't read "_treeNode(INDEXES:::sqlite30": no such element in array.

So I click ok and another box opens

Background error
invalid command name "::database1"
While executing
"$_db nullvalue $nullValue"
(object "::sqlite30" method "::Sqlite3:pen" body line 4)
invoked from within
"$db open"
(object "::.mainWin.d.l.sb" method "DBTree::connectToSelected" body line 9)
invoked from within
"DBTREE connectToSelected"
(menu invoke)


This is way above me.

Any suggestions?

Also if I open the SMS.sqlite3 in SQLite Expert Professional and execute the SQL
select text from message;

It runs but does not display any data?

Thanks everyone.

 

[event2020]

Anyone?

 

[event2020]

In case it helps.

I have got the Bookmarks.db and Calender.sqlitedb files off my iPad

And I can open them in all of the normal SQLite program's and the data inside is clearly readable and exportable.

Just incase my SMS.db file was corrupted I pulled a fresh copy of it from my iPad but although it opens, none of the data, the SMS's is readable or shown?

This is very annoying.

 

[mouse68]

Don't know if you can help but I have extracted my SMS.db file and am trying to open it using SQLite database browser. Every time it opens there is nothing in the file however if I convert it to a txt file I can see data ( albeit in a very confusing format) any ideas what I am doing wrong ?