1. See through C
Module 3
File Handling
Tushar B Kute
http://tusharkute.com

2. What is a File?What is a File?
●
AA filefile is a collection of related data that ais a collection of related data that a
computers treats as a single unit.computers treats as a single unit.
●
Computers store files to secondary storage soComputers store files to secondary storage so
that the contents of files remain intact when athat the contents of files remain intact when a
computer shuts down.computer shuts down.
●
When a computer reads a file, it copies the fileWhen a computer reads a file, it copies the file
from the storage device to memory; when itfrom the storage device to memory; when it
writes to a file, it transfers data from memory towrites to a file, it transfers data from memory to
the storage device.the storage device.
●
C uses a structure calledC uses a structure called FILEFILE (defined in(defined in
stdio.hstdio.h) to store the attributes of a file.) to store the attributes of a file.

3. Steps in Processing a FileSteps in Processing a File
1.1. Create the stream via a pointer variable using theCreate the stream via a pointer variable using the FILEFILE
structure:structure:
FILE *p;FILE *p;
2.2. Open the file, associating the stream name with the fileOpen the file, associating the stream name with the file
name.name.
3.3. Read or write the data.Read or write the data.
4.4. Close the file.Close the file.

4. The basic file operations areThe basic file operations are
●
fopen - open a file- specify how its openedfopen - open a file- specify how its opened
(read/write) and type (binary/text)(read/write) and type (binary/text)
●
fclose - close an opened filefclose - close an opened file
●
fread - read from a filefread - read from a file
●
fwrite - write to a filefwrite - write to a file
●
fseek/fsetpos - move a file pointer tofseek/fsetpos - move a file pointer to
somewhere in a file.somewhere in a file.
●
ftell/fgetpos - tell you where the file pointer isftell/fgetpos - tell you where the file pointer is
located.located.

5. File Open ModesFile Open Modes

6. More on File Open ModesMore on File Open Modes

7. Additionally,Additionally,
●
r+ - open for reading and writing, start at beginningr+ - open for reading and writing, start at beginning
●
w+ - open for reading and writing (overwrite file)w+ - open for reading and writing (overwrite file)
●
a+ - open for reading and writing (append if file exists)a+ - open for reading and writing (append if file exists)

8. File OpenFile Open
●
The file open function (The file open function (fopenfopen) serves two purposes:) serves two purposes:
– It makes the connection between the physical file andIt makes the connection between the physical file and
the stream.the stream.
– It creates “a program file structure to store theIt creates “a program file structure to store the
information” C needs to process the file.information” C needs to process the file.
●
Syntax:Syntax:
filepointer=filepointer=fopen(“filename”, “mode”);fopen(“filename”, “mode”);

9. More OnMore On fopenfopen
●
The file mode tells C how the program willThe file mode tells C how the program will
use the file.use the file.
●
The filename indicates the system nameThe filename indicates the system name
and location for the file.and location for the file.
●
We assign the return value ofWe assign the return value of fopenfopen to ourto our
pointer variable:pointer variable:
spData = fopen(“MYFILE.TXT”, “w”);spData = fopen(“MYFILE.TXT”, “w”);
spData = fopen(“A:MYFILE.TXT”, “w”);spData = fopen(“A:MYFILE.TXT”, “w”);

10. More OnMore On fopenfopen

11. Closing a FileClosing a File
●
When we finish with a mode, we need to close the fileWhen we finish with a mode, we need to close the file
before ending the program or beginning another modebefore ending the program or beginning another mode
with that same file.with that same file.
●
To close a file, we useTo close a file, we use fclosefclose and the pointer variable:and the pointer variable:
fclose(spData);fclose(spData);

12. fprintf()fprintf()
Syntax:Syntax:
fprintf (fp,"string",variables);fprintf (fp,"string",variables);
Example:Example:
int i = 12;int i = 12;
float x = 2.356;float x = 2.356;
char ch = 's';char ch = 's';
FILE *fp;FILE *fp;
fp=fopen(“out.txt”,”w”);fp=fopen(“out.txt”,”w”);
fprintf (fp, "%d %f %c", i, x,fprintf (fp, "%d %f %c", i, x, ch);ch);

13. fscanf()fscanf()
Syntax:Syntax:
fscanf (fp,"string",identifiers);fscanf (fp,"string",identifiers);
Example:Example:
FILE *fp;FILE *fp;
fp=fopen(“input.txt”,”r”);fp=fopen(“input.txt”,”r”);
int i;int i;
fscanf (fp,“%d",&i);fscanf (fp,“%d",&i);

14. fgetc()fgetc()
Syntax:Syntax:
identifier = fgetc (file pointer);identifier = fgetc (file pointer);
Example:Example:
FILE *fp;FILE *fp;
fp=fopen(“input.txt”,”r”);fp=fopen(“input.txt”,”r”);
char ch;char ch;
ch = fgetc (fp);ch = fgetc (fp);

15. fputc()fputc()
write a single character to the output file, pointed to by fp.write a single character to the output file, pointed to by fp.
Example:Example:
FILE *fp;FILE *fp;
char ch;char ch;
fputc (ch,fp);fputc (ch,fp);

16. End of FileEnd of File
●
There are a number of ways to test for the end-of-fileThere are a number of ways to test for the end-of-file
condition. Another way is to use the value returned bycondition. Another way is to use the value returned by
thethe fscanffscanf function:function:
FILE *fptr1;FILE *fptr1;
int istatus ;int istatus ;
istatus = fscanf (fptr1, "%d", &var) ;istatus = fscanf (fptr1, "%d", &var) ;
if ( istatus == feof(fptr1) )if ( istatus == feof(fptr1) )
{{
printf ("End-of-file encountered.n”) ;printf ("End-of-file encountered.n”) ;
}}

17. Reading and Writing FilesReading and Writing Files
#include <stdio.h>#include <stdio.h>
int main ( )int main ( )
{{
FILE *outfile, *infile ;FILE *outfile, *infile ;
int b = 5, f ;int b = 5, f ;
float a = 13.72, c = 6.68, e, g ;float a = 13.72, c = 6.68, e, g ;
outfile = fopen ("testdata", "w") ;outfile = fopen ("testdata", "w") ;
fprintf (outfile, “ %f %d %f ", a, b, c) ;fprintf (outfile, “ %f %d %f ", a, b, c) ;
fclose (outfile) ;fclose (outfile) ;
infile = fopen ("testdata", "r") ;infile = fopen ("testdata", "r") ;
fscanf (infile,"%f %d %f", &e, &f, &g) ;fscanf (infile,"%f %d %f", &e, &f, &g) ;
printf (“ %f %d %f n ", a, b, c) ;printf (“ %f %d %f n ", a, b, c) ;
printf (“ %f %d %f n ", e, f, g) ;printf (“ %f %d %f n ", e, f, g) ;
}}

18. ExampleExample
#include <stdio.h>#include <stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>#include<conio.h>
int main()int main()
{{
char ch;char ch;
FILE *fp;FILE *fp;
fp=fopen("out.txt","r");fp=fopen("out.txt","r");
while(!feof(fp))while(!feof(fp))
{{
ch=getc(fp);ch=getc(fp);
printf("n%c",ch);printf("n%c",ch);
}}
fcloseall( );fcloseall( );
}}

19. freadfread ()()
Declaration:Declaration:
size_t fread(void *ptr, size_t size, size_t n, FILE *stream);size_t fread(void *ptr, size_t size, size_t n, FILE *stream);
Remarks:Remarks:
fread reads a specified number of equal-sizedfread reads a specified number of equal-sized
data items from an input stream into a block.data items from an input stream into a block.
ptr = Points to a block into which data is readptr = Points to a block into which data is read
size = Length of each item read, in bytessize = Length of each item read, in bytes
n = Number of items readn = Number of items read
stream = file pointerstream = file pointer

20. ExampleExample
Example:Example:
#include <stdio.h>#include <stdio.h>
int main()int main()
{{
FILE *f;FILE *f;
char buffer[11];char buffer[11];
if (f = fopen("fred.txt", “r”))if (f = fopen("fred.txt", “r”))
{{
fread(buffer, 1, 10, f);fread(buffer, 1, 10, f);
buffer[10] = 0;buffer[10] = 0;
fclose(f);fclose(f);
printf("first 10 characters of the file:n%sn", buffer);printf("first 10 characters of the file:n%sn", buffer);
}}
return 0;return 0;
}}

21. fwrite()fwrite()
Declaration:Declaration:
size_t fwrite(const void *ptr, size_t size, size_t n, FILE*stream);size_t fwrite(const void *ptr, size_t size, size_t n, FILE*stream);
Remarks:Remarks:
fwrite appends a specified number of equal-sized data items to anfwrite appends a specified number of equal-sized data items to an
output file.output file.
ptr = Pointer to any object; the data written begins at ptrptr = Pointer to any object; the data written begins at ptr
size = Length of each item of datasize = Length of each item of data
n =Number of data items to be appendedn =Number of data items to be appended
stream = file pointerstream = file pointer

22. ExampleExample
Example:Example:
#include <stdio.h>#include <stdio.h>
int main()int main()
{{
char a[10]={'1','2','3','4','5','6','7','8','9','a'};char a[10]={'1','2','3','4','5','6','7','8','9','a'};
FILE *fs;FILE *fs;
fs=fopen("Project.txt","w");fs=fopen("Project.txt","w");
fwrite(a,1,10,fs);fwrite(a,1,10,fs);
fclose(fs);fclose(fs);
return 0;return 0;
}}

23. fseek()fseek()
This function sets the file position indicator for the stream pointed to by streamThis function sets the file position indicator for the stream pointed to by stream
or you can say it seeks a specified place within a file and modify it.or you can say it seeks a specified place within a file and modify it.
SEEK_SETSEEK_SET Seeks from beginning of fileSeeks from beginning of file
SEEK_CURSEEK_CUR Seeks from current positionSeeks from current position
SEEK_ENDSEEK_END Seeks from end of fileSeeks from end of file
Example:Example:
#include#include <stdio.h><stdio.h>
intint mainmain()()
{{
FILE * f;FILE * f;
f = fopen("myfile.txt", "w");f = fopen("myfile.txt", "w");
fputs("Hello World", f);fputs("Hello World", f);
fseek(f, 6, SEEK_SET); SEEK_CUR, SEEK_ENDfseek(f, 6, SEEK_SET); SEEK_CUR, SEEK_END
fputs(" India", f);fputs(" India", f);
fclose(f);fclose(f);
returnreturn 0;0;
}}

24. ftell()ftell()
offset = ftell( file pointer );offset = ftell( file pointer );
"ftell" returns the current position for input or output on the file"ftell" returns the current position for input or output on the file
#include <stdio.h>#include <stdio.h>
int main(void)int main(void)
{{
FILE *stream;FILE *stream;
stream = fopen("MYFILE.TXT", "w");stream = fopen("MYFILE.TXT", "w");
fprintf(stream, "This is a test");fprintf(stream, "This is a test");
printf("The file pointer is at byte %ldn", ftell(stream));printf("The file pointer is at byte %ldn", ftell(stream));
fclose(stream);fclose(stream);
return 0;return 0;
}}

25. Thank you
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