DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name :M.Subramanyam
Designation :Senior Lecturer
Branch :Computer Engg.
Institute :Q.Q.Govt.Polytechnic,Hyderabad.
Year/Semester :III Semester
Subject :UNIX & C
Subject Code :CM-304
Topic :Files
Duration :50 Min
Sub Topic :Random access files
Teaching Aids :PPTs, Animations

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 Recap

 The file I/O functions which are discussed so far

deal with reading and writing data sequentially.

 Direct access is not possible.

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 Objectives

On completion of this period, you would be able

to know…

 read, write or update file randomly.

 Use Random Access file functions.

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 Random Access files

 Random access files

 Access individual records without searching
through other records.
 Instant access to records in a file.
 Data can be inserted without destroying other
data.
 Data previously stored can be updated or
deleted.
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 Functions for Random accessing a file

C provides the following functions

 fseek()

 rewind()

 ftell()

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 fseek() function

 Places a file pointer at desired location.

 Sets file position pointer to a specific position.
fseek ( FILE pointer, offset,mode/symbolic_constant);
 FILE pointer – pointer to file.
 offset – file position pointer (0 is first location).
 symbolic_constant – specifies where in file we are
reading from.

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 fseek() function
Contd..

Symbolic_
mode Meaning
constant
Move the file pointer always
0 SEEK_SET from the beginning of the file.
Move the file pointer from the
1 SEEK_CUR current position.
Move the file pointer always
2 SEEK_END from the end of the file.

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 fseek() function
Contd..

fseek() call Action

fseek(fp,0L,0) Go to begining
fseek(fp,0L,1) Stay at current position

fseek(fp,0L,2) Go to end of the file

fseek(fp,m,1) Move forward by m bytes

Go backward by m bytes from the

fseek(fp,-m,1)
current position

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Example

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 rewind() function

 rewind():
 Resets the file pointer at beginning of the file.
 Syntax:
rewind(FILE *);
Example : rewind(fp)
fp-file pointer

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 ftell() Function

 Returns no of bytes from the beginning of the file

upto the current position of the file pointer.
 Normally used to find the size of the file.
Syntax:
long ftell(fp);
fp-file pointer
Example
 long r;
 FILE *fp;
 r=ftell(fp);
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Example1

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Example2

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 Summary
In this class, you have learnt about …
 The file can be accessed randomly.
 The fseek() is used to move the file pointer to desired
location.

 The file pointer can be moved to beginning of the

using rewind().

 ftell() gives current position of the file pointer.

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 Quiz

1)The function call fseek(fp,0L,0) is same as

a) fp=fopen()
b) rewind(fp)
c) fclose(fp)
c) ftell(fp)

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 Quiz

1)The function call fseek(fp,0L,0) is same as

a) fp=fopen()
b) rewind(fp)
c) fclose(fp)
c) ftell(fp)

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 Quiz

2)ftell()

a) is function

b) gives current file position

c) can be used find the size of the file

d) all the above

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 Quiz

2)ftell()

a) is function

b) gives current file position

c) can be used find the size of the file

d) all the above

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 Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the different random access

functions in files?

2. Explain fseek() function with an example?

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