NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra · error · LSHException

Trying to insert on read-only database

Error message

Trying to insert on read-only database

What it means

fdbDatabaseInsert first checks info.readonly; if the database was opened read-only it throws LSHException("Trying to insert on read-only database") before any insert is attempted.

Source

Thrown at Ghidra/Features/BSim/src/main/java/ghidra/features/bsim/query/elastic/ElasticDatabase.java:3041

	 * @param request is command parameters
	 */
	private void fdbPrewarm(PrewarmRequest request) {
		final ResponsePrewarm response = request.prewarmresponse;
		response.operationSupported = false;
	}

	/**
	 * Entry point for the Elasticsearch version of InsertRequest command:
	 *   Insert new functions and executables into the database.
	 * @param query is command parameters
	 * @throws LSHException if the command is misconfigured
	 * @throws ElasticException for communication problems with the server
	 * @throws DatabaseNonFatalException if everything is already inserted
	 */
	private void fdbDatabaseInsert(InsertRequest query)
			throws LSHException, ElasticException, DatabaseNonFatalException {
		if (info.readonly) {
			throw new LSHException("Trying to insert on read-only database");
		}
		if (FunctionDatabase.checkSettingsForInsert(query.manage, info)) { // Check if settings are valid and is this is first insert
			info.major = query.manage.getMajorVersion();
			info.minor = query.manage.getMinorVersion();
			info.settings = query.manage.getSettings();
			writeBasicInfo(0, 0); // Save off the settings associated with this first insert
		}
		ResponseInsert response = query.insertresponse;
		if ((query.repo_override != null) && (query.repo_override.length() != 0)) {
			query.manage.overrideRepository(query.repo_override, query.path_override);
		}
		// Insert each executable in turn
		boolean newExecutable = false;
		for (ExecutableRecord erec : query.manage.getExecutableRecordSet()) {
			if (erec.isLibrary()) {
				insertLibrary(query.manage, erec);
			}
			else if (insertExe(query.manage, erec)) {

View on GitHub (pinned to d5f144c24d)

Solutions

1. Open the database in read/write mode.
2. Use write-enabled credentials / a write-capable URL.
3. Perform inserts against the primary cluster, not a read replica.

Example fix

// before
// opened readonly: db.initializeReadOnly(url); db.insert(req); -> LSHException
// after
db.initialize(url); // read/write
db.insert(req);

if (db.getInfo().readonly) {
    throw new IllegalStateException("Database is read-only; cannot insert");
}

boolean writable = !db.getInfo().readonly;

When it happens

Trigger: Issuing an InsertRequest against a connection/database that was opened in read-only mode.

Common situations: Connecting with a read-only URL or read-only credential to perform ingest; pointing at a read replica; forgot to set write mode.

Related errors

• Trying to insert on read-only database
• Could not commit self-score: {ex.getMessage()}
• Could not create database:
• LSHException fatal error
• Already inserted

AI-assisted analysis of NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra@d5f144c24d (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/9ce598e8cd11ff6f. Report an issue: GitHub.