DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name :M.Subramanyam
Designation :Senior Lecturer
Branch :Computer Engg.
Institute :Q.Q.Govt.Polytechnic,Hyderabad.
Year/Semester :III Semester
Subject :UNIX & C
Subject Code :CM-304
Topic :Files
Duration :50 Min
Sub Topic :File I/O functions
Teaching Aids :PPTs, Animations
CM304.86 1
 Recap

 What is the use of fgetc() and fputc()?

 What is the use of fgets() and fputs()?
 What is the use of getw() and putw()?
 Can you write different types of values to a file
using single function(fputc(),fputs(),putw())?
 Can you read different types of values from a
file using single function(fgetc(),fgets(),getw())?

CM304.86 2
 Objectives

On completion of this period, you would be able

to know …
 Read different types of values from the file.
 Write different types of values to the file.
 Write a structure to the file.
 Read a structure from the file.

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 Formatted file I/O

 fprintf(): To write multiple type of data values into

the file.
 Sends formatted data to the file.
Syntax:
fprintf(FILE *,”conversionspecifiers”,variable(s))
 Conversion specifiers - %c, %d, %f etc.,
 Variable(s)-variables whose values are to be
written to the file

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 Formatted file I/O
Contd..

Example:

 char a = ‘Z’; int b = 10; float c = 3.17;

 FILE * fp;
 fprintf (fp,”%c%d%f”,a,b,c);

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Example

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 Example

 fscanf(): To read character, string, integer, float etc.,

from the file.
 Reads formatted data from the file.
 Syntax:
fscanf (FILE *,”conversionspecifiers”,&variable(s))
 Conversion specifiers-%c, %d, %f etc.,
 &Variable(s)-addresses of the variables whose
values are to be read from the file.
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 Example

Example:

 char a; int b; float c;

 FILE * fp;

 fscanf(fp,”%c%d%f”,&a,&b,&c);

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Example

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 Structure data file I/O

 Structure can be read from file using fread().

 Structure can be written to file using fwrite().

 fread() and fwrite are also known as binary file

I/O functions.

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 fread() function

 Reads a specified number of bytes from a file

into memory.

 Used to write an entire structure block to a

given file.

 fread( &structurevariable, sizeof

(structurevariable), 1, FILE * );
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 fread() function
Contd..

 &structurevariable – Location to transfer bytes

from file.
 sizeof( structurevariable ) – Number of bytes
to transfer .
 1 – number of elements of an array/records to
transfer.
 In case of an array, "one element" of an
array is being transferred.
 FILE pointer – File to transfer from
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 fwrite() function

 Transfer bytes from a location in memory to a

file.
 Write an entire structure block to a given file.
 fwrite( &variable, sizeof( datatype ), 1, FILE * );
 &variable – Location to transfer bytes from
structure to file.

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 fwrite() function
Contd..

 1 – number of elements of an array/records

to transfer
 sizeof( structure ) – Number of bytes to
transfer.
 In case of an array, "one element" of an
array is being transferred
 FILE Pointer - File to write.

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Example

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Example Contd..

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 Summary

In this period, you have learnt about…

 Different types of values can be read from the file
using fscanf().
 Different types of values can be written to the file
using fprintf().
 Structures can be read from the file using fread().
 Structures can be written to the file using fwrite().

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 Quiz

1)fprintf() writes data to

a)file

b)keyboard

c)both (a) and (b)

d)none

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 Quiz

1)fprintf() writes data to

a)file

b)keyboard

c)both (a) and (b)

d)none

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 Quiz

2)Which of the following function is used for

reading binary data from the file

a) read()

b) fread()

c) fscanf()

d) all the above

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 Quiz

2)Which of the following function is used for

reading binary data from the file

a) read()

b) fread()

c) fscanf()

d) all the above

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 Frequently Asked Questions

1.Distinguish between scanf() and fscanf().

2.Distinguish between printf() and fprintf().

3.Explain fread() and fwrite() with their syntax.

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