2.4.4

File Handling

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File Handling

We must be careful with the way we access files so that we do not accidentally corrupt them.

Open the file

Open the file

First we open the file for use, so that the operating system knows that we are using it.
We can do this using:
- openRead("filename.txt")
- openWrite("filename.txt")

Assign the file to a variable

Assign the file to a variable

The file must be assigned to a variable so that we can keep refering to it.
This can be done as follows:
- myFile = openRead("filename.txt")
- myFile = openWrite("filename.txt")

Read / write

Read / write

We can now read or write to the file using the following commands:
- myFile.readLine() will return the next line of a file as a string.
- myFile.writeLine() will write a line to the file.
- myFile.endOfFile() will return True if we reach the end of the file.

Close the file

Finally, we must close the file so that it is free for another program to access.
We can do this using:
- myFile.close()

1

Problem Solving

1.1

Algorithms

1.1.1Algorithm Thinking 1.1.2Interpreting Algorithms 1.1.3Expressing Algorithms - Pseudocode 1.1.4Expressing Algorithms - Flow Charts 1.1.5Correcting Algorithms 1.1.6Completing Algorithms 1.1.7Search Algorithms 1.1.8Linear Search 1.1.9Binary Search 1.1.10Sort Algorithms 1.1.11Bubble Sort 1.1.12Merge Sort

1.2

Decomposition & Abstraction

1.2.1Computational Thinking - Abstraction 1.2.2Computational Thinking - Decomposition 1.2.3End of Topic Test - Algorithms

2

Programming

3

Data

3.1

Binary

3.1.1Number Bases 3.1.2Negative Binary Numbers 3.1.3Binary Addition 3.1.4Binary Shifts

3.2

Data Representation

3.2.1Representing Text 3.2.2ASCII 3.2.3Unicode 3.2.4Representing Images 3.2.5Representing Sound

3.3

Data Storage & Compression

3.3.1Capacity 3.3.2Calculating Capacity Requirements 3.3.3Data Compression 3.3.4Run Length Encoding

3.4

Encryption

3.4.1Encryption 3.4.2Caesar Cipher 3.4.3Ciphers

3.5

Databases

3.5.1Databases 3.5.2End of Topic Test - Data & Representation

4

Computers

4.1

Machines & Computational Modelling

4.1.1Computational Models 4.1.2Input-Process-Output Model

4.2

Hardware

4.3

Logic

4.3.1Binary Systems 4.3.2Logic Circuits 4.3.3Boolean Logic 4.3.4End of Topic Test - Logic

4.4

Software

4.4.1Operating Systems 4.4.2User Interface Managetment 4.4.3Memory and Process Management 4.4.4File Management 4.4.5Device Management 4.4.6User Management 4.4.7Encryption Software 4.4.8Defragmentation Software 4.4.9Data Compression Software 4.4.10Backup Software

4.5

Programming Languages

4.5.1High Level Languages 4.5.2Low Level Languages 4.5.3Translators - Compilers 4.5.4Translators - Interpreters 4.5.5Translators - Assemblers 4.5.6End of Topic Test - Translation & Representation

5

Communication & The Internet

5.1

Networks

5.2

Network Security

5.2.1User Access Levels 5.2.2Encryption 5.2.3Protecting Against Malware 5.2.4Firewalls 5.2.5Forms of Attack 5.2.6Penetration Testing 5.2.7Malware 5.2.8How Malware Spreads 5.2.9Social Engineering 5.2.10Protecting Against Social Engineering 5.2.11Phishing 5.2.12Network Administration 5.2.13Network Forensics

5.3

The Internet & the World Wide Web

5.3.1IP Addresses 5.3.2Types of IP Address 5.3.3MAC Addresses 5.3.4Packet Switching 5.3.5How Do Packets Get Routed?5.3.6Did My Data Arrive Safely?5.3.7The Internet 5.3.8URLs 5.3.9DNS 5.3.10Web Hosting 5.3.11End of Topic Test - Security

6

The Bigger Picture

Jump to other topics

1

Problem Solving

1.1

Algorithms

1.1.1Algorithm Thinking 1.1.2Interpreting Algorithms 1.1.3Expressing Algorithms - Pseudocode 1.1.4Expressing Algorithms - Flow Charts 1.1.5Correcting Algorithms 1.1.6Completing Algorithms 1.1.7Search Algorithms 1.1.8Linear Search 1.1.9Binary Search 1.1.10Sort Algorithms 1.1.11Bubble Sort 1.1.12Merge Sort

1.2

Decomposition & Abstraction

1.2.1Computational Thinking - Abstraction 1.2.2Computational Thinking - Decomposition 1.2.3End of Topic Test - Algorithms

2

Programming

3

Data

3.1

Binary

3.1.1Number Bases 3.1.2Negative Binary Numbers 3.1.3Binary Addition 3.1.4Binary Shifts

3.2

Data Representation

3.2.1Representing Text 3.2.2ASCII 3.2.3Unicode 3.2.4Representing Images 3.2.5Representing Sound

3.3

Data Storage & Compression

3.3.1Capacity 3.3.2Calculating Capacity Requirements 3.3.3Data Compression 3.3.4Run Length Encoding

3.4

Encryption

3.4.1Encryption 3.4.2Caesar Cipher 3.4.3Ciphers

3.5

Databases

3.5.1Databases 3.5.2End of Topic Test - Data & Representation

4

Computers

4.1

Machines & Computational Modelling

4.1.1Computational Models 4.1.2Input-Process-Output Model

4.2

Hardware

4.3

Logic

4.3.1Binary Systems 4.3.2Logic Circuits 4.3.3Boolean Logic 4.3.4End of Topic Test - Logic

4.4

Software

4.4.1Operating Systems 4.4.2User Interface Managetment 4.4.3Memory and Process Management 4.4.4File Management 4.4.5Device Management 4.4.6User Management 4.4.7Encryption Software 4.4.8Defragmentation Software 4.4.9Data Compression Software 4.4.10Backup Software

4.5

Programming Languages

4.5.1High Level Languages 4.5.2Low Level Languages 4.5.3Translators - Compilers 4.5.4Translators - Interpreters 4.5.5Translators - Assemblers 4.5.6End of Topic Test - Translation & Representation

5

Communication & The Internet

5.1

Networks

5.2

Network Security

5.2.1User Access Levels 5.2.2Encryption 5.2.3Protecting Against Malware 5.2.4Firewalls 5.2.5Forms of Attack 5.2.6Penetration Testing 5.2.7Malware 5.2.8How Malware Spreads 5.2.9Social Engineering 5.2.10Protecting Against Social Engineering 5.2.11Phishing 5.2.12Network Administration 5.2.13Network Forensics

5.3

The Internet & the World Wide Web

5.3.1IP Addresses 5.3.2Types of IP Address 5.3.3MAC Addresses 5.3.4Packet Switching 5.3.5How Do Packets Get Routed?5.3.6Did My Data Arrive Safely?5.3.7The Internet 5.3.8URLs 5.3.9DNS 5.3.10Web Hosting 5.3.11End of Topic Test - Security

6

The Bigger Picture

Practice questions on File Handling

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

1
File HandlingPut in order
2
Which of these are valid file handling methods?True / false
3
If we don't use the correct methods to access files, what might happen?Multiple choice
4
Why must we close a file?Multiple choice
5
What is the purpose of the openRead() pseudocode command? Multiple choice

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Arithmetic Operators