Chapter 7 (File Handling)

Question 1

a collection of data stored on a nonvolatile device in a computer system

Answer 1

a computer file

Question 2

What describes a permanent storage device wherein data items saved onto them are available for future use?

Answer 2

Durable

Question 3

What are the 2 categories of computer files?

Answer 3

1. text files

2. binary files

Question 4

oftentimes, this designates the software that will be used to open a given file.

Answer 4

filename extension

Question 5

what is the base unit that file sizes are measured in?

Answer 5

bytes

Question 6

thousands of bytes

Answer 6

kilobyte

Question 7

billions of bytes

Answer 7

gigabyte

Question 8

What are the 2 organizational units on a storage device?

Answer 8

Directories and folders

Question 9

Each computer files has a ________, by default. You cannot save a file without it.

Answer 9

filename

Question 10

data that has not been encoded by text / cannot be read in a text editor.

Answer 10

binary files

Question 11

Terms such as “temporary” and “permanent” do NOT refer to length of time, they refer to _______.

Answer 11

volatility

Question 12

disk drive + the complete hierarchy of directories in which a file resides

Answer 12

a file’s “path”

Question 13

When writing a program that stores a value in a variable, you are using ___________ storage.

Answer 13

temporary

Question 14

the relationship among data components

Answer 14

data hierarchy

Question 15

letters, numbers, and special symbols; they include seemingly “empty” symbols such as spaces and tabs

Answer 15

characters

Question 16

The value of a variable is temporarily stored, so it is lost when the program ends or if the computer…

Answer 16

loses power

Question 17

What is another term for permanent storage?

Answer 17

persistent storage

Question 18

Files are…

Answer 18

a group of related records.

Question 19

Characters -> ______ -> _______ -> Files

Answer 19

Fields, Records

Question 20

these hold related file data in tables

Answer 20

database

Question 21

These can contain multiple files as well as additional of itself.

Answer 21

Directories

Question 22

True or False: functionally, directories and folders are the same.

Answer 22

True

Question 23

Records are a group of ______ that go together for some logical reason.

Answer 23

fields

Question 24

a million bytes

Answer 24

megabytes

Question 25

A folder is a ___ representation of a directory.

Answer 25

GUI (Graphical User Interface)

Question 26

To make a program read a file’s data from a storage device, you also need to associate the program’s internal _______ with the operating system's name for the file.

Answer 26

filename

Question 27

Locating a file on a storage device and associating a variable name within your program with the file.

Answer 27

Opening the file

Question 28

reading from a file is...

Answer 28

copying data from a file on a storage device into RAM

Question 29

Changes made to the fields in memory affect the original data stored on the input device. True or False?

Answer 29

False

Question 30

a character stores between data fields (such as a comma, semicolon, or tab)

Answer 30

delimiter

Question 31

True or False: data item retrieval from storage is not program-language specific?

Answer 31

False

Question 32

What are the 2 ways that a program can read records from a file?

Answer 32

1. Sequentially | 2. Randomly

Question 33

Ascending order and descending order are the types of ______ you can do with records.

Answer 33

Sorting

Question 34

storing data in a computer file on a persistent storage device; copying data from RAM to the file.

Answer 34

"write to the file"

Question 35

When writing data to a file, you do not include ________ that make data easier for humans to interpret.

Answer 35

explanations

Question 36

Making a file unavailable to your program/application

Answer 36

to "close the file"

Question 37

When you close a file as soon as you no longer need it, you prevent the computer's...

Answer 37

performance from suffering and loss of computer resources (energy, RAM, etc).

Question 38

What is the main default input device?

Answer 38

a keyboard

Question 39

a copy of a file that is kept in case values need to be restored to their original state.

Answer 39

backup file

Question 40

a newly revised copy of the parent file

Answer 40

child file

Question 41

these are read from beginning to end, one at a time

Answer 41

sequential files

Question 42

a temporary detour in the logic of a program

Answer 42

control break

Question 43

What is another name for a backup file?

Answer 43

a "parent file"

Question 44

What is the main default output device?

Answer 44

a monitor

Question 45

a break in the logic of the program that is based on the value of a single variable

Answer 45

single-level control break

Question 46

Do you initialize a single-level control break when it is declared?

Answer 46

No, you wait for it to be processed by the first input record. This allows for accurate storage.

Question 47

A form of output that includes special processing after each group of records

Answer 47

control break report

Question 48

In a ______ _____ _______, a change in the value of a variable initiates special actions or causes unique processing to occur.

Answer 48

control break program

Question 49

To generate a control break report input records must be organized in ________ order based on the field that will trigger the break.

Answer 49

sequential

Question 50

files in which records can be accessed immediately

Answer 50

instant access files

Question 51

These are used to take special action to better organize information it’s working on by some logical factor.

Answer 51

control break programs

Question 52

The technique used for the computer to “remember” the old value, so as to compare it to the new value to see if they are identical, is by giving that old value a special variable. This special variable is called a...

Answer 52

control break field

Question 53

Comparing the old value to the new value will ultimately determine when to produce the...

Answer 53

control break

Question 54

combining two or more files while maintaining the sequential order of the records

Answer 54

Merging files

Question 55

The control break requires 3 things:

Answer 55

1. The field must be output 2. The new element must be re-initialized. 3. The field must be updated to hold the new (comparing) value

Question 56

Master file holds complete and relatively permanent data, while the _________ file holds temporary data.

Answer 56

transaction

Question 57

processing which involves performing the same tasks with many records, one after the other, and often done without human intervention

Answer 57

batch processing

Question 58

Making appropriate changes to the values in its fields based on the recent transactions is called...

Answer 58

"Updating the master file"

Question 59

Direct access files come in handy when dealing with a program wherein the user makes direct requests, or ________ program.

Answer 59

interactive

Question 60

Before doing this to files, each file must: 1. contain the same record layout 2. be sorted in the same order based on the same field.

Answer 60

merging files

Question 61

The _____ is the combination of the disk drive plus the complete hierarchy of directories in which a file resides.

Answer 61

path

Question 62

Applications that require a record be accessed immediately while a client or user waits are processed in ____ ____.

Answer 62

real-time

Question 63

Random access memory is....

Answer 63

persistent.

Question 64

A control break occurs when a program pauses to perform special processing based on the value of a _____.

Answer 64

field

Question 65

Whenever a control break occurs during record processing in any control break program, you must ______ the value in the _______ _____ _____.

Answer 65

update, control break field

Question 66

What are the two types of random access files?

Answer 66

1. instant access files | 2. direct access files

Question 67

What is the main difference between a direct access file and an instant access file?

Answer 67

The instant access files have records that can be accessed immediately.