UNIT 6:

Files and Organization

Introduction:
A file is a collection of data that is stored on a computer system. It can contain text, images,
audio, video, or any other type of digital information. Files are organized in a hierarchical
structure known as a file system. A file system is a method used by operating systems to store,
retrieve, and organize files and directories on a computer's storage devices.
There are several types of file systems, including FAT, NTFS, HFS+, and ext4. Each file
system has its own way of organizing and storing files. For example, the FAT file system
used by older versions of Windows organizes files in a linear fashion, whereas the NTFS file
system used by newer versions of Windows organizes files using a more complex hierarchical
structure.
Organizing files is important for several reasons. It makes it easier to find and access
files, reduces the risk of losing important data, and can improve the performance of the
computer system. There are several methods for organizing files, including creating folders,
using descriptive file names, and grouping related files together.
Folders, also known as directories, are used to group related files together. They can be
nested within each other to create a hierarchical structure that makes it easy to find and
organize files. Descriptive file names are also important for organizing files. A good file name
should be descriptive, concise, and contain relevant keywords.
In summary, files are collections of digital data stored on a computer system, and they are
organized using file systems. Organizing files is important for easy access, reducing the risk
of data loss, and improving performance. Folders and descriptive file names are two key
methods for organizing files.
Text and binary files
Text and binary files are two different types of computer files, distinguished by the way they
store and represent data.
Text files are files that contain plain text characters, such as letters, numbers, and
symbols, and are stored in ASCII or Unicode format. These files are typically used for storing
human-readable text, such as documents, source code, or configuration files. Text files can be
opened and edited with a text editor, and their contents can be easily viewed and modified.
Binary files, on the other hand, are files that contain data in a non-text format, such as
images, audio, video, or program executable files. Binary files are not human-readable, and
their contents can only be understood by the specific software that is designed to read them.
Binary files are usually much smaller than text files, as they use a more efficient encoding
scheme to store the data.
The main difference between text and binary files is in the way they store and represent
data. Text files use a simple encoding scheme that maps each character to a unique code,
while binary files use a more complex encoding scheme that represents the data in a more
efficient manner. As a result, text files are larger than binary files for storing the same amount
of data. Additionally, binary files require specialized software to read and manipulate their
contents, while text files can be easily edited using a text editor or word processor.
In summary, text files are used for storing human-readable text, while binary files are
used for storing non-text data in a more efficient format. The choice of file type depends on
the type of data being stored and the intended use of the file.

File attributes
In file organization, file attributes are properties or characteristics associated with a file that
are used to organize and manage files. These attributes provide information about the file,
such as its name, location, size, and date of creation or modification, as well as its permissions
and other properties.
File attributes are used in file organization to create a structured and efficient system for
storing and accessing files. By using attributes to categorize and organize files, it becomes
easier to locate and manage them. Some common file attributes used in file organization
include:
File name: The name of the file, which is used to identify and locate the file.
File size: The size of the file, usually measured in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, or gigabytes.
File type: The type of file, such as text, image, audio, video, or executable.
File location: The location of the file on the computer system, usually specified by a file path.
Date created: The date and time when the file was created.
Date modified: The date and time when the file was last modified.
File permissions: A set of file attributes that specify who can access, modify, or execute the
file, and under what conditions.
File owner: The user or group that owns the file.
File version: The version number of the file, if applicable.
File attributes are managed by the file system and can be viewed or modified using file
manager or command-line tools. By using file attributes to organize and manage files, it
becomes easier to locate and access files, and to manage files according to their properties and
permissions. This helps to improve file organization and efficiency, and makes it easier to
maintain and manage large numbers of files.

Data hierarchy
The data hierarchy in file organization refers to the way data is organized and structured in a
hierarchical manner within a file or a database. The hierarchy consists of multiple levels or
layers, with each level containing a specific type of data.
The data hierarchy in file organization typically consists of four levels:
Bit: The bit is the smallest unit of data in the hierarchy, representing a single binary digit of 0
or 1.
Field: A field is a group of related bits that represent a particular attribute or property of an
entity. For example, in a database of employee records, a field might be the employee's name
or salary.
Record: A record is a collection of related fields that represent an entity or object. For
example, in a database of employee records, a record might be a single employee's data,
containing fields such as name, address, and phone number.
File: A file is a collection of related records that represent a logical grouping of data. For
example, a file might be a database of all employee records in an organization.
The data hierarchy in file organization is important because it allows for efficient storage,
retrieval, and manipulation of data. By organizing data into a hierarchical structure, it
becomes easier to search for specific data, extract useful information, and perform various
operations on the data. Additionally, the hierarchical structure can be used to enforce rules
and constraints on the data, such as data validation and integrity checks, which help to
maintain the accuracy and consistency of the data.

Text and binary files

Text and binary files are two different types of computer files, distinguished by the way they
store and represent data.
Text files are files that contain plain text characters, such as letters, numbers, and symbols,
and are stored in ASCII or Unicode format. These files are typically used for storing human-
readable text, such as documents, source code, or configuration files. Text files can be opened
and edited with a text editor, and their contents can be easily viewed and modified.
Binary files, on the other hand, are files that contain data in a non-text format, such as images,
audio, video, or program executable files. Binary files are not human-readable, and their
contents can only be understood by the specific software that is designed to read them. Binary
files are usually much smaller than text files, as they use a more efficient encoding scheme to
store the data.

The main difference between text and binary files is in the way they store and represent data.
Text files use a simple encoding scheme that maps each character to a unique code, while
binary files use a more complex encoding scheme that represents the data in a more efficient
manner. As a result, text files are larger than binary files for storing the same amount of data.
Additionally, binary files require specialized software to read and manipulate their contents,
while text files can be easily edited using a text editor or word processor.
In summary, text files are used for storing human-readable text, while binary files are used for
storing non-text data in a more efficient format. The choice of file type depends on the type of
data being stored and the intended use of the file.
File organization:
File organization is a way of arranging data in a file system, which is a data structure that
organizes and stores data on a computer. There are different types of file organizations, each
with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Sequential file organization: In sequential file organization, data is stored in a sequence or

order. Each record is stored one after the other, and they can be accessed in the same order.
This type of organization is useful for applications that require data to be processed in a
specific order, such as in payroll systems.

Indexed file organization: In indexed file organization, a separate file is created that contains
an index of the data in the main file. The index file contains a list of keys or pointers that
point to the location of the corresponding data in the main file. This type of organization is
useful for applications that require fast access to specific data items.

Direct file organization: In direct file organization, each record is assigned a unique address,
which is calculated based on its key value. This type of organization allows for very fast
access to specific records but can be more complex to implement than other types of
organization.

Hashed file organization: In hashed file organization, data is stored in a hash table, which is
a data structure that allows for very fast access to data based on a key value. This type of
organization is useful for applications that require fast access to data, but it can be less
efficient than other types of organization for certain types of operations.

Choosing the right file organization for a particular application depends on the requirements
of the application and the characteristics of the data. A careful analysis of the data and the
application's needs is necessary to choose the most appropriate file organization.
File operations:
File operations are actions that can be performed on files in a file system. Some common file
operations include:

Create: This operation is used to create a new file in the file system. When a file is created, it
is assigned a name and a location in the file system.

Open: This operation is used to open an existing file for reading, writing, or both. When a file
is opened, a file handle or pointer is created, which is used to access the file's contents.

Read: This operation is used to read data from a file. Data can be read in bytes, lines, or other
units, depending on the application's needs.

Write: This operation is used to write data to a file. Data can be written in bytes, lines, or
other units, depending on the application's needs.

Append: This operation is used to add data to the end of an existing file. This is useful when
adding new data to an existing file without overwriting the existing data.

Close: This operation is used to close an open file. When a file is closed, any changes made to
the file are saved, and the file handle or pointer is released.

Delete: This operation is used to delete a file from the file system. Once a file is deleted, its
contents are removed from the file system and cannot be recovered.

Rename: This operation is used to rename a file in the file system. When a file is renamed, its
name is changed, but its contents and location in the file system remain the same.

These file operations are essential for creating, reading, updating, and deleting files in a file
system. Different file systems and programming languages may have variations in their file
operations, but the basic concepts remain the same.
Functions on file operations
File operations are typically performed using functions provided by the operating system or
programming language. Here are some common functions used for file operations:

fopen(): This function is used to open a file and returns a file pointer. It takes two arguments:
the file name and the mode (read, write, append, binary, etc.).
fclose(): This function is used to close an open file. It takes one argument: the file pointer
returned by fopen().
fread(): This function is used to read data from a file. It takes four arguments: a pointer to the
buffer where the data will be stored, the size of each item to be read, the number of items to
be read, and the file pointer.
fwrite(): This function is used to write data to a file. It takes four arguments: a pointer to the
data to be written, the size of each item to be written, the number of items to be written, and
the file pointer.
fgets(): This function is used to read a line of text from a file. It takes two arguments: a
pointer to the buffer where the line will be stored and the maximum number of characters to
read.
fputs(): This function is used to write a line of text to a file. It takes two arguments: a pointer
to the string to be written and the file pointer.
fseek(): This function is used to set the position of the file pointer. It takes three arguments:
the file pointer, the offset from the origin (start, current, or end of the file), and the origin.
ftell(): This function is used to get the current position of the file pointer. It takes one
argument: the file pointer.
remove(): This function is used to delete a file. It takes one argument: the file name.
rename(): This function is used to rename a file. It takes two arguments: the old file name
and the new file name.
These functions provide a convenient and efficient way to perform file operations in
programs. They are widely used in operating system utilities, scripting languages, and other
programming environments that work with files.