Sunday 20 December 2020

OS File Management Concepts: File Attributes and Operations

 

File Management

 

o   Computer can store information on several different storage media such as magnetic disk, magnetic tapes and optical disks.

 

o   So that the computer system will be convenient to use OS provides a uniform logical view of information storage.

 

o   The OS abstracts from the physical properties of its storage devices to define a logical storage unit that is the file.

 

o   Files are mapped by the OS on to physical devices. These storage devices are usually non-volatile so the contents are persistent through power failures and system reboots.

 

o   A file is a named collection of related information that is recorded on secondary storage.

 

o   From user’s perspective, a file is the smallest allotment of logical secondary storage that is data cannot be written to secondary storage unless they are within a file.

 

o   Commonly files represent programs (both source and object forms) and data. Data files may be numeric, alphabetic, alphanumeric or binary. Files may be free form such as text files or maybe formatted rigidly.

 

o   In general a file is a sequence of bits, bytes, lines or records, the meaning of which is defined by the file’s creator and user.

 

o   The information in a file is defined by its creator. Many different types of information may be stored in a file-  source programs and object programs, executable programs, numeric data, text, payroll records, graphic images, sound recordings and so on.

 

o   A file has a certain defined structure according to its type.  A text file is a sequence of characters organized into lines.  A source file is a sequence of subroutines and functions each of which is further organized as declarations followed by executable statements.  An executable file is a series of code sections that the loader can bring into memory and execute.


v FILE ATTRIBUTES:

 

A file has certain attributes which vary from one operating system to another but typically consists of these:

 

o   Name:  the symbolic filename is the only information kept in human readable form.

 

o   Identifier:  this unique tag usually a number identifies the file within the file system.  It is the non-human readable name for the file.

 

o   Type:  this information is needed for those systems that support different types.

 

o   Location:  this information is a pointer to a device and to the location of the file on the device.

 

o   Size:  the current in bytes, words or blocks are and possibly the maximum allowed size are included in this attribute.

 

o   Protection:  message control information determines who can do reading, writing, executing and so on.

 

o   Time, date & user identification: this information may be kept for creation, last modification, and last use.  The data can be useful for protection, security and usage monitoring.

 

o   The information about all files is kept in the directory structure that also resides on secondary storage.  Typically the directory entry consists of the file’s name and its unique identifier.  The identifier in turn locates the other file attributes.

 

v FILE OPERATIONS:

 

o   A file is an abstract data type.  To define a file properly, we need to consider the operations that can be performed on files.

 

o   The OS can provide system calls to create, write, read, reposition, delete and truncate files.  Let us also consider what the OS must do for each of the six basic file operations.

 

Creating a file: Two steps are necessary to create a file. First space in the file system must be found for the file.  Second an entry for the new file must be made in the directory.  The directory and records the name of the file and the location in the file system and possibly other information.

 

1.    Writing a file: To write a file we make a system call specifying both the name of the file and the information to be written to the file.  Given the name of the file the system searches the directory to find the location of the file.  The system must keep a write pointer to the location in the file where the next write operation is to take place.  The write pointer must be updated whenever a write occurs.

2.    Reading a file: To read from a file, we use a system call that specifies the name of the file and where in memory the next block of the file should be put. Again, the directory is searched for the associated directory entry, and the system needs to keep read pointer to the location in the file where the next read is to take place. Once the read has taken place, the read pointer is updated.

3.    Repositioning within a file: The directory search for the appropriate entry and the current file position is set to given value.  Repositioning within a file does not need to involve any actual IO.  This file operation is also known as file seek.

4.    Deleting a file: To delete a file, we search the directory for the named file.  Having found the associated directory entry we release all files space so that it can be reused by other files and erase the directory entry.

5.    Truncating a file: The user may want to erase the contents of a file but keep its attributes.  Rather than forcing the user to delete the file and then recreate this function allows all attributes to remain unchanged except for file length.

 

o   Other common operations include appending new information to the end of an existing file and renaming an existing file.

 

o   Most of the file operations mentioned involve searching the directory for the entry associated with the name file.  To avoid this constant searching, many systems require that an open system call be used before that file is first used actively.

 

o   The OS keeps a small table containing information about all open files (the open - file table).  When a file operation is requested, the file is specified via an index into this table, so no searching is required.

 

o   When the file is no longer actively used, it is closed by the process and operating system removes its entry in the open file table.

 

o   Typically the open file table also has an open account associated with each file indicating the number of processes that have the file open.

 

o   Each close decreases the count and when the open count reaches zero the file is no longer in use, the file’s entry is removed from the open file table.

 

o   Several pieces of information associated with an open file. They are as follows:

1.     File pointer

2.     File open count

3.     Disk location of the file

4.     Access  rights



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