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How To: Setup a SQLite database browser to browse Ginesys Audit trail data file

Owned by Arindam Banerjee (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Apr 01, 2020
2 min read

Introduction

Ginesys has released an Audit Trail feature. The Audit Trail menu is available at Ginesys Web > Admin > Utilities > Audit Trail. You need to enable auditing for desired modules to generate activity logs. You can export audit trail logs from Export menu under Audit Trail section. For better understanding see https://ginesys.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PUB/pages/1760886915 .

When you need to see an audit trail report you need to export it. The audit trail gets exported as a SQLite data file (.db5) which can be explored using a SQLite database browser. You can setup this DB browser on any system, may be on the Ginesys server or on any of your workstation. This article describes, how you can setup one such browser and open a Ginesys audit export (.db5) file. In this article we are using DB Browser for SQLite (https://sqlitebrowser.org/). The method described here doesn’t require any instillation or any high configuration system.

Steps to setup

Download the file

Download the zipped file set from following link. Verify the CPU architecture (64 bit or 32 bit) of the system where you plan to setup this DB browser, so that you can download the appropriate file set.

DB Browser for SQLite 64 bit: http://support.ginesys.in/downloads/current/DB.Browser.for.SQLite-3.11.2-win64.zip

DB Browser for SQLite 32 bit: http://support.ginesys.in/downloads/current/DB.Browser.for.SQLite-3.11.2-win32.zip

Setting up the program

  • Once the download completes, you can find a file in your download location with the name like DB.Browser.for.SQLite-3.11.2-winxx.zip

  • Extract the zipped file in a suitable, easily accessible folder, may be on your Desktop.

  • You can then locate the application executable (DB Browser for SQLite.exe) within the directory DB Browser for SQLite.

  • As an example, the complete path of the application may look like -

..\Desktop\DB Browser for SQLite\DB Browser for SQLite.exe

Run the program

  • In Ginesys Web, when you opt for export audit trail, a file gets downloaded with option to save locally on the user system who is browsing Ginesys. The file has an extension of .db5
    example: AuditExport__17Mar2020_0224242424.db5

  • Copy the .db5 file on the system where DB Browser for SQLite is setup.

  • Now, go to the extracted directory DB Browser for SQLite

  • Select the DB Browser for SQLite.exe and double-click the file to run the application.

  • The DB Browser for SQLite window opens up.

     

  • From top menu, navigate to File > Open Database to open the Open Database window. Alternatively press Ctrl+O.

  • Select the file type as All Files '(*)'

  • Browse to the path where you keep the .db5 file. Select the file and click Open

  • All available tables will now open.

Browsing the data

  • Once the database is open, you can browse through different menus as per your requirement. Some possible actions are,

  • Go to Browse tab to open the tabular view of any audit table.

  • Use Execute SQL tab, if you prefer to use any query to select any specific records.

  • You can export any view in a comma separated value (.csv) file for reporting purpose.

  • For detailed understanding you can visit https://sqlitebrowser.org/