File Concepts

File Concepts

a. File Attributes

Different Operating Systems keep track of different file attributes, including:

• Name - Some systems give special significance to names, and particularly extensions ( .exe, .txt, etc. ), and some do not. Some extensions may be of significance to the OS ( .exe ), and others only to certain applications ( .jpg )
• Identifier ( e.g. inode number )
• Type - Text, executable, other binary, etc.
• Location - on the hard drive.
• Size
• Protection
• Time & Date
• User ID

b. File Operations

The file ADT supports many common operations:

• Creating a file
• Writing a file
• Reading a file
• Repositioning within a file
• Deleting a file
• Truncating a file.

Most Operating Syatems require that files be opened before access and closed after all access is complete. Normally the programmer must open and close files explicitly, but some rare systems open the file automatically at first access. Information about currently open files is stored in an open file table, containing for example:

• File pointer - records the current position in the file, for the next read or write access.
• File-open count - How many times has the current file been opened ( simultaneously by different processes ) and not yet closed? When this counter reaches zero the file can be removed from the table.
• Disk location of the file.
• Access rights

Some systems provide support for file locking.

            A shared lock is for reading only.

            A exclusive lock is for writing as well as reading.

            An advisory lock is informational only, and not enforced. ( A "Keep Out" sign, which may           be ignored. )

            A mandatory lock is enforced. ( A truly locked door. )

            UNIX used advisory locks, and Windows uses mandatory locks.

c. File Types

Windows ( and some other systems ) use special file extensions to indicate the type of each file:

d. File Structure

• Some files contain an internal structure, which may or may not be known to the OS.
• For the OS to support particular file formats increases the size and complexity of the OS.
• UNIX treats all files as sequences of bytes, with no further consideration of the internal structure. ( With the exception of executable binary programs, which it must know how to load and find the first executable statement, etc. )
• Macintosh files have two forks - a resource fork, and a data fork. The resource fork contains information relating to the UI, such as icons and button images, and can be modified independently of the data fork, which contains the code or data as appropriate.

e. Internal File Structure

• Disk files are accessed in units of physical blocks, typically 512 bytes or some power-of-two multiple thereof. ( Larger physical disks use larger block sizes, to keep the range of block numbers within the range of a 32-bit integer. )
• Internally files are organized in units of logical units, which may be as small as a single byte, or may be a larger size corresponding to some data record or structure size.
• The number of logical units which fit into one physical block determines its packing, and has an impact on the amount of internal fragmentation ( wasted space ) that occurs.
• As a general rule, half a physical block is wasted for each file, and the larger the block sizes the more space is lost to internal fragmentation.