File I/O

Files A file is an external collection of related data treated as a unit. Since the contents of primary storage are lost when the computer is shut down, we need files to store our data in a more permanent form. Additionally, the collection of data is often too large to reside in main memory at one time. We must have the ability to read and write portions of the data while the rest remain in the file.

Classes of Files There are two broad classes of files: Text Files: All the data are stored as characters which must be converted to internal formats when entered into memory. Text files are organized around lines which end with a new line(“|n”). Binary Files: Store data in internal computer formats, such as integer and floating-pt numbers. Take less time to I/O because no format conversion is necessary.

Files are stored on auxiliary or secondary storage devices Files are stored on auxiliary or secondary storage devices. Two most common are disk and tape. A buffer is a temporary storage area which holds data while they are being transferred to or from memory. Its primary purpose is to synchronize the physical devices to your program needs(e.g., more data can be input at one time then your program can use. The buffer holds extra data until you are ready for it).

These buffering activities are taken care of by software know as device drivers or access methods, which are provided by the supplier of the Operating System you are using.

Files and Streams The computer looks at input and output data, whether from a physical device such as a keyboard, or from secondary files, as a stream of characters or bytes. Since files exist separately from our program and computer, we must have some way to connect them: we must create a linkage between the external file and its usage in our program. In C, this linkage is know as a file table.

The term file table implies that several things are stored The term file table implies that several things are stored. It contains ALL the info needed to locate your file wherever it is stored outside of the computer. It also contains info such as the file name, the location of its file buffer, and the current state of the file. We define a file table with the standard FILE type. There will be a file table for each file that our program will access.

File System Basics The header <stdio.h> contains: Three file pointers(stdin, stdout, stderr). Several interrelated functions. Each stream that is associated with a file has a file control structure of type FILE.

The file pointers(stdin, stdout, stderr-i. e The file pointers(stdin, stdout, stderr-i.e., Tables) are automatically opened when the program starts. File tables are created that POINT to these file streams.

Three File Pointers stdin Standard input file Connected to the keyboard stdout Standard output file Connected to the screen stderr Standard error file

Commonly used C file-system functions fopen( ) Opens a file fclose( ) Closes a file putc( ) Writes a char. to a file fputc( ) Same as putc( ) getc( ) Reads a character from a file fgetc( ) Same as getc( ) fgets( ) Reads a string from a file fputs( ) Writes a string to a file fseek( ) Seeks to a specified byte in a file ftell( ) Returns the current file position fprintf( ) Is to a file what printf( ) is to the console fscanf( ) Is to a file what scanf( ) is to the console feof( ) Returns true if end-of-file is reached rewind( ) Resets the file position indicator to the begin of the file remove( ) Erases a file Fflush() Flushes a file

The File Pointer FILE *fp; In order to read or write files, your program needs to use file pointers. A file pointer is a pointer to a structure of type FILE. It points to information that defines various things about the file, including its name, status, and the current position of the file. FILE *fp;

Opening a File The fopen( ) function opens a stream for use and links a file with that stream. Then it returns the file pointer associated with that file. General form: FILE *fopen(const char *filename,  const char *mode);

filename is a pointer to a string of characters that make up a valid filename and may include a path specification. mode determines how the file will be opened. fopen( ) function returns a file pointer which should not be altered by your code. If an error occurs when it is trying to open the file, fopen( ) returns a null pointer.

Legal values for Mode Mode Meaning r Open a text file for reading w Create a text file for writing a Append to a text filer b Open a binary file for reading wb Create a binary file for writing ab Append to a binary filer r+ Open a text file for read/write w+ Create a text file for read/write a+ Append or create a text file for read/write r+b Open a binary file for read/write w+b Create a binary file for read/write a+b Append or create a binary file for read/write

FILE *fp; if ((fp = fopen("test","w"))==NULL) {   printf(''Cannot open file.\n");   exit(1); } The number of files that may be open at any one time is specified by FOPEN_MAX. This value will be at least 8. If, when opening a file for read-only operations, the file does not exist ,fopen ( ) will fail. When opening a file using append mode, if the file does not exist, it will be created.

When a file is opened for append: - All new data written to the file will be added to the end of the file. - The original contents will remain unchanged. When a file is opened for writing: - If the file does not exist, it will be created. - If it does exist, the contents of the original file will be destroyed, and a new file will be created.

The difference between r+ and w+ is : - r+ will not create a file if it does not exist; however, w+ will. - If the file already exists, opening it with w+ destroys its contents; opening it with r+ does not.

Closing a File General form: int fclose(FILE *fp); Returns zero for a successful close. Returns EOF if an error occurs. Generally, fclose( ) will fail only when a disk has been prematurely removed from the drive or the designated file pointer is incorrect.

fclose( ) closes a stream that was opened by a call to fopen( ). It writes any data still remaining in the disk buffer to the file and does a formal operating-system-level close on the file.

Failure to close a stream invites all kinds of trouble, including :lost data, destroyed files, and possible intermittent errors in your program. It also frees the file control block associated with the stream, making it available for reuse.

Writing a Character To a File putc( ) and fputc( ) General form: int  putc(int ch, FILE *fp); Returns the character written if successful. Otherwise, returns EOF.

Reading a Character do { ch = getc(fp); } while(ch!=EOF); getc( ) and fgetc( ) General form: int  getc(FILE *fp); Returns EOF when the end of the file has been reached. do {   ch = getc(fp); } while(ch!=EOF);

Why have different functions(getc, fgetc, putc, fputc) that basicly perform the same? Good question! The answer lies in the history of “C” and involves information beyond the scope of this class.

/. KTOD: A key to disk program. / #include <stdio /* KTOD: A key to disk program. */ #include <stdio.h> #include <stdlib.h> int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {   FILE *fp;   char ch;   if(argc!=2)  {     printf(''You forgot to enter the filename.\n");    exit(1);   } KTOD TEST Reads characters from the keyboard and writes them to a disk file until the user types a dollar sign.