Information Technology

FILE
ORGANIZATION
& ACCESS
Prepared by Ms. T. Wynter
File Organization & Access

▸ File organization and access relate to the use of

records, fields and files stored in a database.

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 File Organization & Access, cont’d.

▸ A file has three important characteristics, and they are as

follows:
▹ File Type- A file can be permanent or temporary.
▹ File Organization-The way the records of the file are
organized on a secondary storage device (file organization).
▹ Method of Access-The manner in which the file is
accessed.

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 Activity:
“ Research the
types of file
organization.

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Types of File Organization
1. Sequential File Ordering
2. Serial File Ordering
3. Random File/ Direct Ordering
4. Index Sequential File Ordering

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 Sequential File Ordering & Access

▸ This is where records are stored in a logical or sorted order.

▸ Records can be arranged according to name, date, size or
any other field in ascending order.
▹ Example: 10 20 30 40 50 60
▸ Sequential access- records are accessed one by one in the
order they are stored until the right one is located.

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 Serial File Ordering & Access

▸ This is similar to sequential file ordering, except the records are

not stored in any particular order (unordered).
▸ They are simply stored one after the other as they are added.
▸ This type of ordering is often used to capture transactions as
they occur during the day. E.g., 50 20 44 60 15
▸ Serial Access- records are accessed in the same manner they
were stored.

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 Random File/Direct Ordering &
Access
▸ Files are stored in any order using a key.
▸ The file is organized like a one-dimensional array,
where each array element has an index/subscript to
mark its location.
▸ Random access or direct access allows you to access
the record you want without having to go through
any others.

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Index Sequential File/Direct
Ordering & Access

▸ Records are stored in this file in sequential

order and set of indices is used to refer to
each item stored in the file.
▸ Each records can be accessed by its index
number.

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 Activity:
“ Instruction: Answer the following questions

1. What are the three characteristics of file

organization?
2. Explain what is meant by ‘Method of Access’
3. In which filing organization records are stored one
after the other as they are added.
4. What is meant by Sequential Access?
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Summary
▸ File organization and access relate to the use of records, fields and files stored
in a database.
▸ A file has three important characteristics. File Type, File Organization &
Method of Access.
▸ Sequential File Ordering, Serial File Ordering, Random File/ Direct Ordering
& Index Sequential File Ordering are types of file organization.
▸ Sequential File Ordering- This is where records are stored in a logical or
sorted order.
▸ Serial File Ordering- records are stored one after the other as they are added.
▸ Random/Direct ordering - Files are stored in any order using a key.
▸ Index Sequential File Ordering

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References
Gay, G., Blades, R.(2019). Information Technology, Oxford University Press. Great Clarendoon
Street, Oxford, United Kingsom.
Johnson, N. (12 November 2019). Information Processing Fundamentals. Jamaica Gleaner.
Retrieved from: reader.com/jamaica/jamaica-gleaner/20180515/282252371175169

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 END!
Any questions?

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