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Questions and Answers
What is the primary purpose of binary files?
Which of the following is NOT a common file operation in C?
Which function is used to write formatted data to a file in C?
What is the purpose of the fseek() function in C?
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Which of the following file operations is not mentioned in the text?
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Which of the following C++ classes is used for output file operations?
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How are streams represented in C++?
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Which header file should be included to use file handling classes in C++?
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What is the purpose of the open function in file handling classes?
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Which of the following classes is used for both input and output file operations?
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Study Notes
File Handling in C
C programming provides several ways to handle files for storing and retrieving data efficiently. In C, users can interact with various types of files, including text files and binary files. C file operations involve creating, opening, writing to, reading from, moving data to specific locations, and closing files.
Basics of File Handling in C
The primary objective of file handling in C is to preserve and transfer data. As the data of a program is lost once it finishes executing, it becomes essential to store data in files. This process enables users to carry out tasks such as opening, reading, writing, creating, closing, or even saving files to a certain location.
Features of Using Files
Some key benefits of using files in C include:
- Reusability: Data stored in files can be utilized repeatedly.
- Portability: Files facilitate the transfer of data between different systems.
- Efficiency: They offer quick access to stored data.
- Storage Capacity: Large amounts of data can be stored beyond the limitations of memory (RAM).
Types of Files in C
C supports two types of files:
Text Files
Users can generate these files effortlessly during file handling. Text files store information internally using ASCII characters, making them human-readable. They can be created by any text editor, often with extensions like '.txt' or '.rtf'. Simple text files can be edited using popular text editors like Microsoft Word, Notepad, Apple Text Edit, etc.
Binary Files
Binary files store information in the form of 0s and 1s, which are not readable by humans. They are saved with the '.bin' extension and take up less space due to their binary representation. Because of their binary nature, they are considered more secure than text files.
C File Operations
There are numerous types of operations available in C for handling files:
- Creating a new file: Creating a new file involves setting up a new empty file or starting the process of writing into a previously opened file.
- Opening an existing file: This action allows users to access a file that already exists on the system.
- Writing data to a file: Users can write new information into an existing file using various functions provided by the language.
- Reading data from an existing file: Reading involves retrieving content stored within a pre-existing file.
- Moving data to a specific location on the file: This operation enables users to move the read pointer or file position indicator to any desired place within the file.
- Closing the file: Closing ensures proper cleanup of resources used during the file handling process.
Functions for C File Operations
There are several built-in functions available in C to perform file operations, such as:
-
fopen(): Opens an existing file or creates a new one with specified parameters. -
fprintf(): Writes formatted data to a file. -
fscanf(): Reads formatted data from a file. -
fputc(): Writes individual characters to a file. -
fgetc(): Reads individual characters from a file. -
fclose(): Closes an existing file after completing operations. -
fseek(): Sets the file pointer to a specific location. -
fputw(): Writes integral values to a file. -
fgetw(): Reads integral values from a file. -
ftell(): Returns the current position of the file pointer in the file. -
rewind(): Sets the file pointer back to the beginning of the file.
When working with files, understanding these operations and utilizing appropriate functions helps developers achieve their desired goals efficiently while maintaining data integrity.
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Description
Explore the fundamentals of file handling in C programming, including creating, opening, reading, and writing to files. Learn about text files and binary files in C, along with various file operations and functions available for efficient data manipulation.
