Data File Handling

Data File Handling
Introduction
• Computer programs are associated to work

with files as it helps in storing data &
information permanently.
• File - itself a bunch of bytes stored on some
storage devices.
• In C++ this is achieved through a component
header file called fstream.h
Contd…
• Earlier, only two streams are being used such as cin

and cout.
• There are some problems with these streams.
1) It is very difficult to handle large volume of data.
2) The data is not permanently stored.
Eg:- the calculation of the result of 200 students will
be lost when the program terminates.
Contd…..
• C++ provides a new technique for handling I/O

operations through mechanism known as streams.
• A stream refers to a flow of data.
• Classified in 2 categories:
1. Output stream
2. Input stream
In output stream flow of data is from program to the
output device.
In input stream the flow of data is from input device
to a program in main memory.
File  Program ( Input stream) - reads
Program  File (Output stream) – write
Stream Class Hierarchy
Why to use Files:
• Convenient way to deal large quantities of data.

• Store data permanently (until file is deleted).
• Avoid typing data into program multiple times.
• Share data between programs.
We need to know:
how to "connect" file to program
how to tell the program to read data
how to tell the program to write data
error checking and handling EOF
• A file can be opened in two ways:
1. Using constructor function
2. Using member function
Opening file using constructor
• File name is used to initialize the file stream object.

• Steps:-
1. Create a file stream object to manage stream with
appropriate class.
2. Initialize the file object with desired name.
Contd……..
• ofstream outfile(“results”); //it opens a file name

“result” for output.
• ifstream infile(“data”);
outfile<<“total”;
outfile.close();
infile>> string;
Opening files using member function
open()
• This function is used to open multiple files that uses
same stream object.
• Syntax:-
file_stream class stream_object;
stream_object.open(“filename”);
Example
ofstream outfile;
outfile.open(“Data”);
…………………..
…………………..
outfile.close();
outfile.open(“Data2”);
…………………….
…………………..
outfile.close();
Open(): File Modes
• We can have two arguments in open(), to specify

the file-mode.
stream-object.open(“filename”,mode);
the second argument specifies the purpose for which

file is opened.
Stream state member functions
• In C++, file stream classes inherit a stream state

member from the ios class, which gives out the
information regarding the status of the stream.
For e.g.:
eof() –used to check the end of file character
fail()- used to check the status of file at
opening for I/O
bad()- used to check whether invalid file
operations or unrecoverable error .
good()- used to check whether the previous file
operation has been successful
EXAMPLES
• EOF()
Void main()
{
Ifstream infile;
Infile.open(“text”);
While(!infile.eof())
{
------
-----
}}
• FAIL()
Main()
{
Ifstream infile;
Infile.open(“text”);
While(!infile.fail())
{
Cout<<“cudn’t open a file”;
}}
Reading and Writing in Files
• Reading and Writing a character from a file can be

done by
• Get()
• Put()
• Get():- This is used to read an alphanumeric
character from a specified file.
• Put():- This is used to write an alphanumeric
character to specified file.
Reading and writing by insertion and
extraction
Stream Insertion Operators
• Are defined in the ostream class
• The operator “<<” is called the inserter
Stream Extraction Operators

• Are defined in the istream class and are used to
receive data from the input device
• The operator “>>”, called the extractor.
By Read () and Write()
• Read and write is used when we are dealing with

classes.
• Syntax:-
Read((char*)&obj sizeof(obj));
Write((char*)&obj,sizeof(obj));
EXAMPLE
MEMBER FUNCTIONS
• ios::app = append at end of file

• Ios::ate = go to end of file on opening instead of
beginning.
• Ios::binary=binary file
• Ios::in = open file for reading only
• Ios::out = open file for writing only
• Ios:: trunc = delete the content of file if it exists
• Ios::nocreate = open fails if file doesn’t exist.
EXAMPLE
1) ofstream fileout;
fileout.open(“hello”,ios::app);
2)fileout.open(“hello”, ios::in | ios::out);

Data File Handling

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Data File Handling

• Computer programs are associated to work

• Earlier, only two streams are being used such as cin

• C++ provides a new technique for handling I/O

• Convenient way to deal large quantities of data.

• File name is used to initialize the file stream object.

• ofstream outfile(“results”); //it opens a file name

• We can have two arguments in open(), to specify

the second argument specifies the purpose for which

• In C++, file stream classes inherit a stream state

• Reading and Writing a character from a file can be

Stream Extraction Operators

• Read and write is used when we are dealing with

• ios::app = append at end of file

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