Sample for copying a database to a writable location.

main.lua

local sqlite3 = require( "sqlite3" )
local dbfunc = require("copyDBto")

local filename = "data.db"
local baseDir = system.DocumentsDirectory

-- Open "data.db". If the file doesn't exist, it will be created
local path = system.pathForFile( filename, baseDir )

local doesExist = io.open(path, "r")
if not doesExist then
	local result = dbfunc.copyDatabaseTo( "data.db", { filename = "data.db", baseDir = system.DocumentsDirectory } )
	assert( result, "Database failed to copy. Check the logs.")
else
	io.close( doesExist )
end

local db = sqlite3.open( path )   

-- Handle the "applicationExit" event to close the database
local function onSystemEvent( event )
	if ( event.type == "applicationExit" ) then              
			db:close()
	end
end

-- Print the table contents
for row in db:nrows("SELECT * FROM highscores") do
	local text = row.name .. " : " .. row.score
	local t = display.newText( text, 120, 30*row.id, nil, 16 )
	t:setFillColor( 1, 0, 1 )
end

-- Setup the event listener to catch "applicationExit"
Runtime:addEventListener( "system", onSystemEvent )