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Updating in A Binary File

The document discusses updating values in binary files by locating the record to update, making changes to the desired values, and writing the changes back to the file. It also explains how to manipulate the file pointer position using the tell() and seek() functions, where tell() returns the current pointer position and seek() moves the pointer to a specified offset from the beginning, current position, or end of the file. Examples are provided to demonstrate using seek() to move the pointer forward and backward within a file.

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Swayam Shrikondwar
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131 views

Updating in A Binary File

The document discusses updating values in binary files by locating the record to update, making changes to the desired values, and writing the changes back to the file. It also explains how to manipulate the file pointer position using the tell() and seek() functions, where tell() returns the current pointer position and seek() moves the pointer to a specified offset from the beginning, current position, or end of the file. Examples are provided to demonstrate using seek() to move the pointer forward and backward within a file.

Uploaded by

Swayam Shrikondwar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Updating in a Binary File

Developed By:- Vishant D Khobragade


PGT CS
K V VSN NAGPUR
What is Updating?
➢Updating mean modification in existing
value(s).
➢There are three steps for updating in the file:
• Locate the records to be updated
• Make changes in values where you want.
• Write back onto the file.
Accessing & Manipulation in a File
➢ Python provides two function which helps us to
manipulate the value(s) in the file. For
manipulating, you have to transfer file pointer at
the desired location.
➢ Two functions are: (1) tell() & (2) seek()
➢ The tell() function returns the current position of
file pointer in the file.
Syntax:- <file-object>.tell()
It returns integer type value. It means it tells on
which byte file pointer lie on.
Example
f1=open(“student.txt”)
print(f1.tell(), “:-It represent the initial position”)
print(f1.read(5))
print(f1.tell(),”:-Cursor on 5th byte”)
Note:-File position begins with zero byte.
The seek() function
➢ The seek() function is used to transfer file pointer at
the desired location or specified position in the file.
Syntax:- <file-object>.seek(offset[,mode])
where offset is specifying number of bytes
mode is a number either 0 or 1 or 2
0 specifies beginning of the file
1 specifies the current position of the file
pointer.
2 specifies end of the file.
➢ Note:- Here, mode is optional. If it is not mentioned
then default value of mode is 0.
Example
➢ Look at the following examples: Consider the previous file is
opened. i.e. f1=open(“student.txt)
1. f1.seek(20) :- It will transfer the file pointer at 20th byte from the
beginning.
2. f1.seek(20,0) :- It will transfer the file pointer at 20th byte from the
beginning.
3. f1.seek(20,1) :- It will transfer the file pointer forward at 20th byte
from the current position of the file pointer.
4. f1.seek(-20,2) :- It will transfer the file pointer backward at 20th
byte from the end of the file.
5. f1.seek(-20,1) :- It will transfer the file pointer backward at 20th
byte from the current position of the file pointer.
Note:-
✓ Backward movement of the file pointer is not possible from the
beginning of the file.
✓ Forward movement of the file pointer is not possible from the end
of the file.
Example
# Following program used to find the total number of
bytes in a program
f1=open(“student.txt”)
str1=f1.read()
print(“Total number of bytes:”,f1.tell())
# Following program shows the movement of file pointer
in a program from end of the file & display last 10
characters of the file.
f1=open(“student.txt”)
f1.seek(-10,2)
str1=f1.read(10)
print(“Last 10 byte is:”,str1)
ASSIGNMENT
1. Consider the binary file student.dat which is created
earlier. Write a program to update the records of
the file student.dat so that those who have scored
more that 90.0 and less than 95.0, get additional
bonus marks of 2.
2. Write a program to modify the name of student
whose roll number is 111 as “Himanshu”.

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