Migration from Sequel Pro to Sequel Ace

Sequel Pro is an open source MySQL (and other) database client for Macs. It allows those working with MySQL on a Mac a free way to create, manage, interrogate and export local and remote databases.

The problem with Sequel Pro is that it hasn’t been updated for a very long time. It is a little buggy, and in its current state it’s unlikely to do well on the Big Sur operating system update that Apple have (now released) announced.

However, as of July 2020 you can stop using the long stagnant Pro and step over to the new and shiny fork called Ace. Sequel Ace is also available in the Apple App Store, so you can keep your eye on updates more easily. Issues and feature requests can still be submitted via the GitHub issue tracker. It’s still open source.

But if you are going to move over, you may want to do so without having to manually recreate all the database connections you have set up.

Here’s the least painful option I’ve found so far:

NB: In the Comments below, John reports that the path might have (since 2020) updated from ~/Library/Containers/com.sequel-ace.sequel-ace to ~/Library/Containers/Sequel Ace — be sure to check which of those two folders exist once you’ve installed Sequel Ace in Step 1. and then substitute as required below…

1. Install Sequel Ace
2. Quite both Sequel Pro and Sequel Ace
3. NB: This process will replace (you will lose) any connections already in Sequel Ace, so you may want to make a note of those details first

4. Copy
~/Library/Preferences/com.sequelpro.SequelPro.plist
to
~/Library/Containers/com.sequel-ace.sequel-ace/Data/Library/Preferences/com.sequel-ace.sequel-ace.plist

5. Copy
~/Library/Application Support/Sequel Pro/Data/Favorites.plist
to
~/Library/Containers/com.sequel-ace.sequel-ace/Data/Library/Application Support/Sequel Ace/Data/Favorites.plist

6. Open up the Keychain Access app ( /System/Applications/Utilities/Keychain Access.app )

7. Search for ‘sequel pro’ — this should list all your Sequel Pro connections / favourites. You may also note some SSHTunnel items if you use those in Sequel Pro

NB: The names in Keychain Access may be the original name you have the favourite. To see the current name, check out the item’s Where: field. See article responses below for full info.

8. Open the Sequel Ace app — you should find all your previous Sequel Pro favourites, although they’ll have lost their ordering

9. In Sequel Ace, click a saved connection / favourite in the side panel

10. In Keychain Access app, double-clicking on the matching connection, click the ‘Show password’ checkbox and when prompted putting in your Mac user login password (if you click the ‘always allow’ option here you will only have to type your password once, not twice). This should show you the previous password. Copy it to clipboard

NB: If you don’t find a matching item in Keychain Access, it may be because you renamed it in Sequel Pro after creating it. Looks for a similar name, or a name with spelling mistakes which you may have updated later.

11. Paste the password into the Sequel Ace favourites setting

12. If the connection uses SSH then you’ll also need to find and copy paste the matching SSHTunnel KeyChain Access item password over, plus check all the other details are all still correct.

13. Click ‘Test connection’ to ensure you’ve got things in the right place. If you get a success message click ‘Save changes’

14. Repeat steps 9 through to 13 for each connection / favourite

There you go. All connections / favourites moved over to Sequel Ace.