File Access Methods

Question 1

Serial Access

Answer 1

How it works: Records are stored one after another in the order they are entered.

Access type: Must read from the beginning to find a record.

Best for: Small datasets where search speed is not critical.

Question 2

Sequential Access

Answer 2

How it works: Records are stored in a specific order (e.g., by name or ID).

Access type: Read records in sequence, but faster than serial due to sorting.

Best for: Batch processing, e.g., payroll.

Question 3

Direct Access

Answer 3

How it works: Uses a key (like an employee ID) to jump directly to a record.

Access type: Quick access using a lookup method (e.g., hashing).

Best for: Applications needing fast searches.

Question 4

Random Access

Answer 4

How it works: Records can be accessed at any position without a specific order.

Access type: Truly flexible – jump to any record.

Best for: Multimedia apps, games, or real-time systems.

Question 5

Archiving

Answer 5

Serial or Sequential

Question 6

Payroll File

Answer 6

Sequential

Question 7

Real-Time Systems

Answer 7

Direct or Random