Have you tried that same SQL, as the C# literal "attach database 'c:/sqlite/db/contacts.db' as contacts"? And if not, why not? If the shell which is published by this project (and produces "sqlite> " as its prompt) accepts your SQL, you can be reasonably sure that SQLite3.DLL will accept it (or should if it is built with this project's source.) Going beyond your posed question: How are you "using SQLite3.DLL with C#"? That DLL does not present an interface easily used from C#, and the substantial work necessary to use it that way creates many learning opportunities. So if you have tried the obvious 2nd argument to sqlite3_exec() without success, you will need to provide much more detail before you can reasonably hope for help here.