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I/O Functions

Choosing I/O Techniques and File Organization

Because of the wide variety of I/O techniques and 370 file types, it is not always easy to select the right combination for a particular application. Also, the considerations differ for new applications and for existing applications ported from another environment.


New Applications

Recommendations for I/O in new programs depend on whether the program needs to run on other systems. For portable applications, the following guidelines are recommended:

If your application does not have to be portable, there are several additional possibilities. Note, however, that even if portability is not a requirement, one of the portable techniques described earlier may still be most appropriate.


Existing Applications

For existing applications, the choices are more difficult. With an existing program, you may be forced to choose between rewriting the program's I/O routines, accepting poor performance, and restricting use of the program to certain types of files. The following is a partial list of the considerations:


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