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`Traditional File Processing System

Before the use of computer, a manual file system was used to maintain the
records and files. All the data was stored in files and it makes it easy to find
any information. But this system was good only for small organizations
having small number of items.
It has many disadvantages given below:
 It was time consuming.
 Inefficient to maintain the record of big firm having large number
of items.
 It requires a lots of labor work to do.
To overcome these disadvantages and to make the processing fast, File
Processing System was introduced. This system was able to solve all the
above problems.
Traditional File Processing Systems: It was totally computer based
system where all the information is store in different computer
files. Also traditional files system stores data in a manner that all the
departments of an organization have their own set of files that creates
data redundancy.
For example:
To illustrate Traditional File Processing Systems definition, lets us take an
example of college where student record for examination is stored in other
file and his library record is stored in different file that creates many
duplicate values like roll Number, Name and Father Name.

LIBRARY FILES EXAMINATION REGISTRATION

FILES FILES

Muhammad Jawad Abid B.Sc(IT),M.Sc(IT),M.Sc(Criminology), MCP,MCSE,MCDBA,OCA,CCNA

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Characteristics of Traditional File Processing System

 It stores data of an organization in group of files.

 Files carrying data are independent on each other.
 COBOL, C, C++ programming languages were used to design
the files.
 Each file contains data for some specific area or department like
library, student fees, and student examinations.
 File in Traditional File Processing Systems are called flat files.

Disadvantages of Traditional File Processing System

Data Redundancy
In file processing system, the same data may be duplicated in several files.
Suppose there are two files “Students” and “Library”. The file “Student”
contains the data Roll No, name, address and telephone number and other
details of all students in a college. The file “Library” contains the Roll No and
name of those students who get a book from library along with the
information about the book. The data of one student appears in two files. This
is known as data redundancy. This redundancy causes higher storage.

Data Inconsistency
File system approach can also result in data inconsistency. Inconsistency
means that two files many contain different data of the same student. For
example, if the address of a student is changed, it must be changed in both
files. There is a possibility that is is changed in the “Students” file and not
from “Library” file. The data becomes inconsistent in this situation.

Program Data Dependency

Program data dependency is a relationship between data in files and program
required to update and maintain the files. Application programs are developed
according to a particular file format in file processing system. If the format of
file is changed, the application program also needs to be changed accordingly.
For example, if there is a change in the length of postal code, it requires
change in the program. The changes may be costly to implement.

Lack of Flexibility
The file processing system is not very flexible. It cannot easily generate the
information that is different from routine. It can take a lot of time to collect

Muhammad Jawad Abid B.Sc(IT),M.Sc(IT),M.Sc(Criminology), MCP,MCSE,MCDBA,OCA,CCNA

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the data from different files and write programs to produce the desired
information.

Integrity Problems
Integrity means reliability and accuracy of data. The stored data must satisfy
certain types of consistency constrains. For example, Roll No and Marks of
students should be numeric value. It is very difficult to apply these constrains
on files in file processing system.

Security Problems
File processing system does not provide adequate security on data. In some
situations, it is required to provide different types of access to data for
different users. For example, a data entry operator should only be allowed to
enter data. The chairman of the organization should be able to access or delete
the data completely. Such types of security options are not available in file
processing system.

Data Isolation

Imagine we have to generate a single report of student, who is studying in

particular class, his study report, his library book details, and hostel
information. All these informations are stored in different files. How do we
get all these details in one report? We have to write a program. But before
writing the program, the programmer should find out which all files have
the information needed, what is the format of each file, how to search data
in each file etc. Once all these analysis is done, he writes a program. If there
is 2-3 files involved, programming would be bit simple. Imagine if there is
lot many files involved in it? It would be require lot of effort from the
programmer. Since all the data is isolated from each other in different files,
programming becomes difficult.

Atomicity

Transaction is a collection of multiple operations that form a work unit.

Atomicity means all the operations must be done or no operation. Suppose
a user Want to transfer money from one account A to another account B.
This process consists of two steps

1. Deduct money from Account A

2. Add money to account B

Suppose the system fails when the computer performed the first step. It
means that the amount has been deducted from account A but not has been

Muhammad Jawad Abid B.Sc(IT),M.Sc(IT),M.Sc(Criminology), MCP,MCSE,MCDBA,OCA,CCNA

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added to account B. This situation make data inconsistency .File processing

does not provide data atomicity.
Concurrent Access

Accessing the same data from the same file by different users at a time is
called concurrent access. In the file system, concurrent access leads to
incorrect data. For example, a student wants to borrow a book from the
library. He searches for the book in the library file and sees that only one
copy is available. At the same time another student also, wants to borrow
same book and checks that one copy available. First student opt for borrow
and gets the book. But it is still not updated to zero copy in the file and the
second student also opt for borrow! But there are no books available. This is
the problem of concurrent access in the file system.

Muhammad Jawad Abid B.Sc(IT),M.Sc(IT),M.Sc(Criminology), MCP,MCSE,MCDBA,OCA,CCNA