Chapter 7: Problem 6

When writing a program that performs an operation on a file, what two fileassociated names do you have to work with in your code?

Short Answer

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Answer: The two file-associated names a programmer has to work with are the filename and the file handle. The filename is a human-readable string representing the file's address and name on the computer, including the path and extension. The file handle is an abstract representation of the file used within the code. It is assigned to a variable when the file is opened, and is used to perform operations on the file, such as reading or writing. Understanding the distinction between filename and file handle is essential for successfully working with files in programming projects.

Step by step solution

Understand File-associated Names

When working with files in any programming language, a programmer has to deal with two types of file-associated names: a filename and a file handle.

Define Filename

A filename is a human-readable string, which represents the address and name of the file on your computer. It may contain the full file path with directories or folder names, the file's name, and its extension. For example, 'example_folder/data.txt'.

Define File Handle

A file handle, on the other hand, is an abstract representation of a file used within the code. When you open a file in a programming language, the system creates a file handle that you use to manipulate the file through the code. Usually, a file handle is a variable to which the result of file opening operation is assigned. For example, in Python, you can open a file using the following code: ``` file_handle = open("example_folder/data.txt", "r") ``` In this example, the file handle is the variable `file_handle`, which is used to perform operations on the file, such as reading from or writing to it.

Understand the Interaction between Filename and File Handle

In a typical file operation, first, you need to specify the filename to provide the necessary information to locate the file in your system. Then, you use a function or method provided by the programming language to open the file and assign the resulting file handle to a variable. With this file handle, you can perform various operations on the file, like reading, writing, or modifying its content. Finally, you should close the file when you are done with your operations. Remember that the filename and file handle serve different roles in your code, and understanding their distinction is essential for successfully working with files in your programming projects.

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When writing a program that performs an operation on a file, what two fileassociated names do you have to work with in your code?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand File-associated Names

Define Filename

Define File Handle

Understand the Interaction between Filename and File Handle

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