CLASS 12 BINARY FILE HANDLING

1. Binary File Handling
CBSE Class 12 – Computer Science
Presented by: [Your Name]

2. Introduction to Files
Files store data permanently.
Two types:
- Text Files (human-readable)
- Binary Files (machine-readable)

3. What Are Binary Files?
Store data as 0s and 1s
Do not store data as plain text
Best for storing complex data (objects, lists, etc.)

4. Opening Binary Files
file = open('data.dat', 'rb') # read
file = open('data.dat', 'wb') # write
file = open('data.dat', 'ab') # append
Add 'b' for binary operations

5. The pickle Module
pickle is used to:
- Serialize (convert object to byte stream)
- Deserialize (reconstruct object)
Key functions:
- pickle.dump(obj, file)
- pickle.load(file)

6. Writing to a Binary File
import pickle
f = open('student.dat', 'wb')
data = {'roll': 1, 'name': 'Anu', 'marks': 90}
pickle.dump(data, f)
f.close()

7. Reading from a Binary File
import pickle
f = open('student.dat', 'rb')
try:
while True:
d = pickle.load(f)
print(d)
except EOFError:
f.close()

8. Common Operations
Create and store records
Display all records
Search a record by roll number
Modify a record
Delete a record

9. Best Practices
Always use 'rb', 'wb', or 'ab'
Wrap load() in try-except for EOFError
Always close the file after use
Never edit a binary file manually

10. Activity 1 – Code Practice
Task: Write a Python program to:
- Take input for 3 students (roll, name, marks)
- Store them in a binary file using pickle

11. Activity 2 – Search Operation
Task: Write a program to:
- Search and display student record
- Based on roll number input from user

12. Questions for Understanding
1. What is the main difference between binary and text files?
2. What does the pickle module do?
3. Which error is raised at the end of a binary file while reading?
4. Write a small code snippet to open a binary file and read data from it.

13. Mini Project Idea
Student Records Manager
Create a menu-driven program to:
- Add student records
- Display all records
- Search, Update, and Delete records
(Use binary file with pickle)

14. Summary
Binary files are efficient for storing complex data.
Use the pickle module to work with Python objects.
Proper exception handling ensures smooth file operations.