pettiCompare SQLite before and after an app action
See exactly which value changed after a small action. This exercise changes one order from pending to paid and compares the committed states.
1. Capture the starting state
Open the practice database and choose ⋯ → What Changed?. Capture a baseline and wait for completion. A snapshot copies the database, so review the storage estimate. Do this before changing the order.
2. Make one controlled change
Close the comparison sheet and choose orders. With an editing license activated, unlock the database and change the status of order 102 from pending to paid. Press Return to save and relock. That cell edit saves immediately to the practice file.
If you are using free read-only mode, follow the same baseline workflow with a database you own and change it through its own application instead. You do not need a Petti editing license to observe a change committed by another app.
3. Compare with the current database
Reopen What Changed? and choose Compare with Current Database. Petti captures the current committed state, then compares the two snapshots. In the untouched fixture with only the edit above, expect one updated orders row: ID 102, status changing from pending to paid. Customers should have no changes.
4. Interpret the result carefully
A comparison shows differences between captures. It does not identify the process or person responsible, and it cannot reveal an intermediate edit that was later reversed. Another application can still write while Petti itself is locked.
Read any “Not compared” or partial-result notice. Unsupported keys, schema changes and time limits can exclude a table. A table that was not compared is not evidence that it stayed unchanged. On a real app database, perform one action between captures to make the result easier to explain.
5. Keep or clean up the snapshots
Use ⋯ → Snapshots… to inspect the retained copies and open one read-only. Each comparison can add a full capture. Clearing the baseline selection does not delete the saved snapshot. Delete unwanted copies through snapshot history after closing them.
This workflow does not automatically restore your source. To reset this exercise, download a fresh practice file. Keep separate backups for important databases; snapshots on the same disk do not protect against losing the disk.
Updated