File System Interface

Module 6
File Concept - Definition

v A file is a named collection of related information that is

recorded on secondary storage.
v A file is a collection of records where each record contains
some field and where each field represents some data.
v Eg. Student name, Student Reg No., Student Avg Marks.

v A file is a sequence of bits, bytes, lines, or records, the

meaning of which is defined by the file’s creator and user.
File Concept – Content & Types
vContiguous logical address space

vTypes:
vData
vNumeric
vCharacter
vBinary
vProgram
vContents defined by file’s creator

vMany types
vtext file,
vsource file,
vexecutable file
File Concept - Attributes

vName. The symbolic file name is the only information kept in

human- readable form.
vIdentifier. This unique tag, usually a number, identifies the
file within the file system; it is the non-human-readable name
for the file.
vType. This information is needed for systems that support
different types of files.
vLocation. This information is a pointer to a device and to the
location of the file on that device.
File Concept - Attributes

vSize. The current size of the file (in bytes, words, or blocks)
and possibly the maximum allowed size are included in this
attribute.
vProtection. Access-control information determines who can do
reading, writing, executing, and so on.
vTimestamps and user identification . This information may be
kept for creation, last modification, and last use. These data
can be useful for protection, security, and usage monitoring.
File Concept - Operations

v Create()
v Use create() system call.
v When called:
vSpace in the file system must be found and allocated for the file.
v An entry for the new file must be made in a directory.

v Open()
v Use Open() system call
vWhen called
v Checks of the file availability in the directory and if present it is opened.
File Concept - Operations

vSeveral pieces of data are needed to manage open files:

vOpen-file table: tracks open files

vFile pointer: pointer to last read/write location, per process that has the file
open
vFile-open count: counter of number of times a file is open – to allow removal of
data from open-file table when last processes closes it
vDisk location of the file: cache of data access information
vAccess rights: per-process access mode information
File Concept - Operations

v close()
v Use close() system call.
v When called:
vCloses the file.

v write()
v Use write() system call
vFirst open the file using open() system call and in write mode.
vkeeps a write pointer to the location in the file where the next write is
to take place if it is sequential. The write pointer must be updated
whenever a write occurs.
File Concept - Operations

v read()
v Open the file in read mode
v use read() system call.
v specifies the file handle and where (in memory)(variable) the next
block of the file should be put.
v The system needs to keep a read pointer to the location in the file
where the next read is to take place, if sequential.
v Once the read has taken place, the read pointer is updated.
v the current operation location can be kept as a per-process current-
file-position pointer.
File Concept - Operations

v repositioning() within file or seek()

v The current-file-position pointer of the open file is repositioned to a
given value.
vRepositioning within a file need not involve any actual I/O.
vThis file operation is also known as a file seek.

v Delete()
v Release all file space, so that it can be reused by other files, and
erase or mark as free the directory entry.
v File attributes and contents deleted.
File Concept - Operations

v Truncate()
v File contents will only be deleted, and File attributes and directory
entry remain. Size of the file is zero.

v Append()
v Add contents to end of the file.
v Copy ()
vRename()
File Concept -Types
File Concept – Access Methods

v Sequential Access Method

v Information in the file is processed in order, one record after the
other.
vOperations
v read next()—reads the next portion of the file and automatically advances a file
pointer, which tracks the I/O location write next
v write next()—appends to the end of the file and advances to the end of the newly
written material (the new end of file).
v Reset - a file can be reset to the beginning
v editors and compilers
vno read after last write (rewrite)
Ex.
File Concept – Access Methods

v Direct/Relative Access Method

v Allow programs to read and write records rapidly in no particular
order.
v Based on a disk model of a file.
v The file is viewed as a numbered sequence of blocks or records.
v Databases are often of this type
v Operations:
v Read n ( n is block number)
v write n
v seek or position n.
File Concept – Access Methods

v Index based Access Method

v Involve the construction of an index for the file.
v The index, like an index in the back of a book, contains pointers to
the various blocks.
vTo find a record in the file, we first search the index and then use the
pointer to access the file directly and to find the desired record.
File Concept – Access Methods
Disk Structure
v Disk can be subdivided into partitions

v Disks or partitions can be RAID protected against failure

v Disk or partition can be used raw – without a file system, or formatted with a file system

v Partitions also known as minidisks, slices

v Entity containing file system is known as a volume

v Each volume containing a file system also tracks that file system’s info in device directory or
volume table of contents

v In addition to general-purpose file systems there are many special-purpose file systems,
frequently all within the same operating system or computer
Disk Structure
Types of File System
v We mostly talk of general-purpose file systems

v But systems frequently have may file systems, some general- and some special- purpose

v Consider Solaris has

v tmpfs – memory-based volatile FS for fast, temporary I/O

v objfs – interface into kernel memory to get kernel symbols for debugging

v ctfs – contract file system for managing daemons

v lofs – loopback file system allows one FS to be accessed in place of another

v procfs – kernel interface to process structures

v ufs, zfs – general purpose file systems

Directory

v A collection of nodes containing information about all files.

v Both the directory structure and the files reside on disk
Directory - Operations

v Search for a file

v Create a file
v Delete a file
v List a directory
v Rename a file
v Traverse the file system
Directory - Organization

v The directory is organized logically to obtain

v Efficiency – locating a file quickly
v Naming – convenient to users
vTwo users can have same name for different files
v The same file can have several different names

v Grouping – logical grouping of files by properties, (e.g., all Java

programs, all games, …)
Directory – Structure Types – Single Level Directory Structure

v A Single directory for all Users.

v Naming problem
v Grouping problem
Directory – Structure Types – Two Level Directory Structure

vSeparate directory for each user

v Path name
vCan have the same file name for different user
vEfficient searching
vNo grouping capability
Directory – Structure Types – Tree-Structured Directories

v
Directory – Structure Types – Acyclic-Graph Directories

v Have shared subdirectories and files

Directory – Structure Types – Acyclic-Graph Directories

vTwo different names (aliasing)

vIf dict deletes w/list = dangling pointer
v Solutions:
vBackpointers, so we can delete all pointers.
vVariable size records a problem

vBackpointers using a daisy chain organization

vEntry-hold-count solution

vNew directory entry type

vLink – another name (pointer) to an existing file
vResolve the link – follow pointer to locate the file
Directory – Structure Types – General Graph Directory

v How do we guarantee no cycles?

vAllow only links to files not subdirectories
vGarbage collection
vEvery time a new link is added use a cycle detection algorithm to
determine whether it is OK