Chapter 12: Problem 31

In __ file access, the contents of the file are read in the order they appear in the file, from the file's start to its end.

Short Answer

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Answer: Sequential file access is a method of reading a file's content in order, from the beginning to the end. It is processed line by line or byte by byte, depending on the implementation. This method is simple to implement, less memory-intensive, and ideal for reading large files or streaming data. However, it is inefficient for updating or searching files, as the entire file must be read.

Step by step solution

Understand the terminology

"__ file access" refers to sequential file access. It means that when a file is read, it is read in order, starting from the beginning and going through to the end of the file.

Compare sequential file access to other types of file access

There are two main types of file access: sequential and random. In sequential file access, you read a file's contents in order from start to end. In random file access, you can read or write to any part of the file without having to read the entire file.

Explain how sequential file access works

When reading a file using sequential file access, the file is processed line by line, or byte by byte (depending on the implementation). The program reads the file content from the first byte to the last byte, and it must be read in the order it appears in the file.

Describe the pros and cons of sequential file access

Pros of sequential file access: 1. Simple to implement, as it is a straightforward method of reading a file. 2. Less memory-intensive, as you do not need to load the whole file into memory. 3. Ideal for reading large files or streaming data, as it does not require random access. Cons of sequential file access: 1. Inefficient for updating or searching files, as you must read the entire file. 2. Limited to specific file formats that store data in a sequential manner.

Provide an example of sequential file access

Let's consider a text file called "example.txt" with the following content: ``` Line 1: This is an example file. Line 2: Demonstrating sequential file access. Line 3: The content is read in order. ``` When reading this file using sequential file access, the program would read the file as follows: 1. Read Line 1: "This is an example file." 2. Read Line 2: "Demonstrating sequential file access." 3. Read Line 3: "The content is read in order." After this, the program would reach the end of the file and stop reading.

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In __ file access, the contents of the file are read in the order they appear in the file, from the file's start to its end.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand the terminology

Compare sequential file access to other types of file access

Explain how sequential file access works

Describe the pros and cons of sequential file access

Provide an example of sequential file access

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