SQLite Forum

insert "where True" (without the quotes) between the table name and the on conflict clause.  The keyword "on" following a tablename in a select statement is the introducer for a parenthetical where condition clause (as in FROM x JOIN y ON shishkabobs=delicious) and conflict(...) becomes a function call, and DO becomes a syntax error.  

You need to terminate the select statement parsing so that ON is parsed as belonging to the INSERT rather than the SELECT.

```
INSERT INTO pathway SELECT pathold._rowid_,
                           pathold._shape,
                           pathold.vehicle_id,
                           pathold.begin_time,
                           pathold.end_time,
                           pathold.area,
                           pathold.rect,
                           pathold.block_id,
                           pathold.layer_index
                      FROM pathold 
                     WHERE True
    on conflict(vehicle_id,begin_time) DO NOTHING;
```

This is a known parsing issue with INSERT ... SELECT ... ON CONFLICT ...  
<https://sqlite.org/lang_UPSERT.html>