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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The direct access method lets a program select a particular file block or record by its position, without first reading every earlier record. It is also called random access or relative access. The term has other meanings in library cataloging and in specific database systems, so context matters.
How direct access works
In the operating-systems sense, a file is treated as a sequence of numbered blocks or records. A program can move to a chosen position and read or write there, rather than processing the file only from its beginning. The INFLIBNET Centre describes this as being based on the disk model of a file.
Typical direct-access operations include:
- Read or write the block at a specified position.
- Position to a specified block, then read or write the next one.
- Rewrite a particular block.
The position is meaningful within the file. It is not a guarantee that every storage device uses the same physical layout or that every request takes the same amount of time.
Direct access compared with sequential access
| Access method | How records are selected | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|
| Sequential | Records are processed in order, one after another. | An ordered scan or a task that must examine the whole sequence. |
| Direct (random or relative) | The program selects a block or record by its position. | A request for a particular position without reading all earlier records first. |
Direct-access operations can be used to carry out sequential processing: a program can visit one block after another. The reverse is not true for a sequential-only method, which cannot select an arbitrary block by position without passing through preceding records. This distinction describes the access model, not a universal speed ranking.
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How indexed access is different
Indexed access uses a separate index containing pointers to records or blocks. The program searches the index and follows a pointer to the desired record. This is related to direct access, but it is not the same as selecting a record solely by its position in a file. A system may use an index to locate a record by a key rather than by a numbered position.
What “direct access” means in IBM IMS
IBM also uses the term for database processing methods in IMS. In IMS 15.4, HDAM and PHDAM use a randomizing routine to locate records, while HIDAM and PHIDAM use an index-based method. IMS uses pointers to maintain record relationships; IBM identifies pointer storage as an overhead of that approach. These are IMS-specific design terms, not names for every operating system’s file access methods. IBM IMS 15.4: Direct access
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A separate library-cataloging meaning
In Library of Congress cataloging terminology, “direct access” describes an electronic resource on a tangible carrier that a user physically inserts into a computer, such as a disk or CD-ROM. “Remote access” describes a resource reached without physically handling its carrier, often over a network. This is a distinction about the resource’s carrier and delivery, not about choosing a numbered file record. The terminology appears in the Library of Congress’s Draft Interim Guidelines for Cataloging Electronic Resources, so it should be understood as a documented cataloging usage rather than a universal definition. Library of Congress cataloging guidelines
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which meaning applies?
- If the question concerns selecting a numbered file block or record, it means operating-systems direct access.
- If it concerns IMS database organization, check whether the discussion is about an index-based or randomizing-routine method.
- If it concerns whether an electronic resource is on physical media or available over a network, it means the cataloging usage.
For an operating-systems overview of sequential, direct, and indexed file access, see the INFLIBNET Centre’s File System Interface chapter.
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