# How to Open System Log file? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Tags:** ignition80, database\ **Created:** [September 8, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732 "2021-09-08T18:08:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JR7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4da419/32.png) [@JR7](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JR7)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/1 "2021-09-08T18:08:30Z")
Hi All, I just want to know how to open the exported system logs file (IDB File Type). I tried to open it using SQLite but no luck. It says could not open database file. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 6:34pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/2 "2021-09-08T18:34:17Z")
SQLite3 ? ---
**Author:** ![JR7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4da419/32.png) [@JR7](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JR7)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 6:43pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/3 "2021-09-08T18:43:46Z")
Hi pturmel, Thanks for your reply. I tried SQLite and SQLite Studio but it doesn’t recognize .idb as a file. It says the file is not a database. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/4 "2021-09-08T19:00:47Z")
I pointed to SQLite3 because the version likely matters. Did you try SQLite _ **version 3** _ ? ---
**Author:** ![JR7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4da419/32.png) [@JR7](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JR7)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/5 "2021-09-08T19:02:31Z")
I’m using SQLite Version 3.12.2 and SQLiteStudio 3.3.3. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/6 "2021-09-08T19:10:36Z")
Are you sure the file downloaded completely from the gateway? IIRC, a truncated file won’t open. ---
**Author:** ![JR7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4da419/32.png) [@JR7](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JR7)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 7:29pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/7 "2021-09-08T19:29:06Z")
Hi PTurmel, Thanks again for your reply. Is there a proper way to open it? Like change the file type to .sqlite? On SQLiteStudio(3.3.3) \> Add Database (Ctrl+O) \> Database Type SQLite 3 Selected. \> Browse IDB File from ignition gateway system logs (can’t able to browse since sqlite only supports .db , .sdb, .sqllite. I also tried to change the file type so it can browse and select it but still no luck. ---
**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/8 "2021-09-08T21:36:39Z")
SQLiteStudio worked just fine for me: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/3/c/3c933223a1411add5838b22658726ce7459bfabb.png) You can choose ‘All Files’ in the file chooser to bypass the simple check for ‘known’ SQLite formats: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/d/3/d32a5bc4b85424f3695b2afed4344382ab3008f5.png) ---
**Author:** ![kcollins](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kcollins/32/19646_2.png) [@kcollins](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/kcollins)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/9 "2021-09-08T22:55:53Z")
Opening using `sqlite3 system_logs.idb` seems to also work okay too if you’re on Linux… [https://asciinema.org/a/4c3Dn5Wwf7jf4uguUgcuyvJYF](https://asciinema.org/a/4c3Dn5Wwf7jf4uguUgcuyvJYF) ---
**Author:** ![JR7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4da419/32.png) [@JR7](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JR7)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 11:10am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/10 "2021-09-09T11:10:55Z")
Hi All, Thanks PGriffith, PTurmel, and KCollins1 for your inputs. The exported .idb file from Ignition Gateway doesn’t work. What I did was I went to the Ignition folder and get a copy of the system\_logs.idb and it works. I’m not sure why does the exported file from Gateway doesn’t work. Anyway, Thanks a lot! ---
**Author:** ![tyler.robertson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/tyler.robertson/32/18299_2.png) [@tyler.robertson](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/tyler.robertson)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 6:28pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/11 "2022-01-05T18:28:54Z")
Had same issue - thanks for the suggestion! ---
**Author:** ![Sanket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/57b2e6/32.png) [@Sanket](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Sanket)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2024, 6:01am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/12 "2024-06-22T06:01:55Z")
If you download logs from gateway please follow below steps, Copy the file location path paste it in File option (Remove "" Quotation Marks) Test connection it will work. Note - I re-named downloaded file to "\_logs" ---
**Author:** ![Hitesh\_Rathod1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea666f/32.png) [@Hitesh\_Rathod1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Hitesh_Rathod1)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/13 "2025-03-17T14:16:59Z")
Will the latest version of SQLite Studio (3.4.17) work for opening log files? ---
**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 3:23pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/14 "2025-03-17T15:23:09Z")
Presumably yes, but it's not IA software so I can't offer any guarantee. ---
**Author:** ![Hitesh\_Rathod1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea666f/32.png) [@Hitesh\_Rathod1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Hitesh_Rathod1)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 4:22pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-open-system-log-file/50732/15 "2025-03-17T16:22:51Z")
Thank you, @paul-griffith. I asked because every time I need admin credentials to install software, it seems inappropriate to raise a request and provide a justification for each installation. That’s why I wanted to confirm before submitting a request for admin credentials.